Tag: 3BL

Southern Company

ATLANTA, August 14, 2023 /3BL/ – Forbes has recognized Southern Company on its 2023 list of America’s Best Employers for Women. Ranked No. 9 in the country, the company received the highest mark in the utility industry and is also the top-ranked company based in the state of Georgia.

“We are honored to be selected once again as one of America’s Best Employers for Women,” said Chris Womack, CEO and president of Southern Company. “Workforce and leadership diversity is a tenet of ours and helps ensure we have a variety of experiences and perspectives to better serve customers. Southern Company will continue to emphasize a culture where all employees feel valued, respected and able to accomplish their professional goals.”

The Best Employers for Women have been identified in an independent survey from a vast sample of more than 60,000 employees working for companies employing at least 1,000 people within the United States. The sample included more than 40,000 women.

The evaluation was based on four criteria:

Direct recommendations – (General work topics): The employees were asked to give their opinion on a series of statements surrounding atmosphere and development, image, working conditions, salary and wage, workplace and diversity regarding their employer.Direct recommendations – (Topics relevant to women): To focus on topics which are in general more relevant for women, women were asked to rate their employers regarding parental leave, family support, flexibility, discrimination, representation and career, and pay equity.Indirect recommendations: Participants were given the chance to evaluate other employers in their respective industries that stand out either positively or negatively concerning diversity. Only the recommendations of women were considered.Diversity among Top Executives / Board: Based on extensive research, an index was built based on the share of women in executive management or board positions. Statista, a statistics portal and industry ranking provider, researched this data for each company using publicly available company information.

The list was announced on July 25 and presented by Forbes and Statista. It can be viewed in its entirety at: https://www.forbes.com/lists/best-employers-women.

Unleashing LNG.

It’s the reason the Partnership to Address Global Emissions (PAGE) coalition was formed in October 2022, and it was the topic of discussion at the recent PAGE-sponsored Reuters Global Energy Transition 2023 conference in New York City.

PAGE’s mandate is to support an increase in production and support of clean North American natural gas—to replace coal in power generation, to help countries meet emissions reduction targets, to improve global energy security and stability.

Enbridge is a member of PAGE alongside responsible energy companies such as EQT Corporation, TC Energy and Williams, as well as allied NGOs and climate advocates—and Enbridge’s Cynthia Hansen was a speaker at GET2023 on June 8.

“We have a great opportunity to get energy from where it is to where it is needed most,” said Ms. Hansen, an Executive Vice President at Enbridge and President of our gas transmission and midstream business.

“We know that India and China are the largest users of coal—about 70% of the world’s usage comes from those two countries,” she said. “And we also know that 2022 was the highest usage on record. So we have to move fast.”

Demand for coal reached an all-time high in 2022. Amid geopolitical tension, a volatile supply chain and the urgent need for rapid cuts in global emissions, the world’s energy transition needs natural gas—itself an energy source whose emissions can be reduced.

“We have this critical role to play. We have the right people, the right technology, the understanding of how to get these businesses built off the ground,” said Ms. Hansen. “We are positioned to do this. It’s our responsibility to do this.”

In the U.S., our cross-continent natural gas transmission pipeline network of nearly 20,000 miles is unparalleled in scale, scope and connectivity—and serves 15% of LNG export capacity on the Gulf Coast.

Our operations supply natural gas to four operating LNG facilities in the Gulf Coast, and are poised to serve at least three more based on executed precedent agreements. With predictions that Gulf Coast LNG exports will double in the next decade, we expect by 2030 to be responsible for 30% of those exports through projects such as the Gator Express Meter Project, the Venice Extension Project and the Rio Bravo Project.

North of the 49th parallel, we’re well-positioned to fuel Canada’s opportunity to serve growing economic markets in Asia.

In mid-2022, we announced our involvement in the development and operation of the Woodfibre LNG Project, alongside Pacific Energy Corporation Limited.

We’ve begun expansion of our BC Pipeline transmission system through the Aspen Point Program and the Sunrise Expansion Program—and this, alongside our recent acquisition of Aitken Creek natural gas storage facilities, will enhance our capability to serve West Coast LNG exports.

August 14, 2023 /3BL/ – The Ray, a nonprofit organization advancing net-zero transportation and energy infrastructure in partnership with the Georgia Department of Transportation (GDOT), Troup County, Georgia and Skydio, the leading U.S. drone manufacturer and world leader in autonomous flight, today announced a strategic partnership to develop a cutting-edge “drone as a first responder” (DFR) program along “The Ray Highway” on Interstate 85. The goal of the new program is to enhance safety and emergency response capabilities in the entire West Georgia region, a rural area which hosts multiple key interstate corridors. Interstates 85, 185 and 75 provide freight connectivity for key Southeast manufacturing and logistics.

“GDOT’s interest in safety is evidenced not only by our ongoing investment in safety, but our continued interest in efforts such as this,” said John Hibbard, Division Director of Permits and Operations for GDOT. “At The Ray’s request, we have participated in scoping and planning this safety initiative and will continue to follow its progress and learn from the experience.”

The collaboration includes Troup County’s Marshal Office and the county fire department, which this month received Skydio drones and training as technology donations from The Ray. DFR programs have helped agencies that are responsible for public safety and emergency management improve efficiency, response times, and overall emergency services in a variety of jurisdictions across the country. Commonly referred to as “first eyes on the scene,” drones piloted on site or remotely transmit photos and videos captured overhead of an incident and provide key situational awareness to police, fire and other stakeholder agencies. As such, Georgia’s Emergency Management Agency and the Georgia Department of Transportation have been engaged from the beginning in the partnership’s planning and execution.

The partnership is preparing to apply for the second round of awards from the US Department of Transportation (USDOT) Strengthening Mobility and Revolutionizing Transportation (SMART) Grant Program. The SMART Grant is a highly competitive and national program that leverages federal funds to accelerate innovation and technology interventions to solve real-world challenges facing communities today. Troup County’s application with The Ray would be the first or among the first requests for the SMART Grant to support the development and implementation of DFR anywhere in the nation. If successful, Troup County intends to acquire remote operations equipment, additional training, and pursue Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) authorizations to engage in DFR operations. This will enable the county to build a functional DFR program that relies on remote operations and future autonomous drone operations.“

Drones acting as first responders bring critical capability for crisis and emergency management and are already deployed across the country in small, medium and large communities, including Chula Vista, CA and Brookhaven, GA,” said Allie Kelly, executive director of The Ray. “We at The Ray are proud to bring an opportunity home to The Ray Highway, to help Troup County develop robust, reliable, and safe drone operations. In the near future, we hope to grow the operation into a cost-efficient program that can offer remote operation of drones as a first responder to interstates 85, 185 and surrounding West Georgia counties.”

To help launch the initiative, The Ray donated two Skydio drones to Troup County, and has provided the county with training resources through Skydio. The training sessions will equip Troup County drone pilots with the necessary skills and knowledge to operate the drones safely and effectively. Currently, Troup County has a limited drone program with four trained pilots and one basic drone in use. The county lacks a comprehensive program that allows trained pilots to incorporate drones into their regular emergency response activities. Through the support of The Ray and Skydio, Troup County is on the cusp of establishing a formal drone program, complete with a trained team and verified hours of operation.

“The Troup County Community Development Department is excited about incorporating drones into the team,” said Jenny Parmer, Community Development Director for Troup County. “These drones are going to bring some incredible benefits to emergency response and infrastructure safety. Led by Chris Bagley, a former U.S. Army unmanned aerial vehicle master instructor, this project is getting off the ground with the Marshal Office, but the long–term vision is a collaborative effort across local public safety and emergency response departments.”

Drones enable rapid assessment of accidents, missing persons, animals or livestock, disasters, and hazardous situations, providing valuable data and insights to emergency response teams in a timely, efficient manner. With drones, responders can make informed decisions and deploy appropriate resources promptly, potentially saving lives and minimizing risks to human responders. Equipped with advanced sensors and cameras, they provide situational awareness, identify hazards, and reach inaccessible areas safely. The drones will enhance coordination through live video feeds and communication with on-the-ground teams, optimizing resource allocation. With ongoing technological advancements, drones have the potential to save lives and mitigate emergencies’ impact.

“At Skydio we are proud to partner with The Ray and Troup County in their pursuit to make their community a safer place. Drones enable enforcement agencies to assess potential dangerous scenes and get to hard to reach areas where every minute is critical,” said Fritz Reber, Head of Public Safety Integration at Skydio. “We are committed to supporting Troup County and The Ray as they seek to grow the county’s drone program into a sophisticated DFR program.”

“The Ray is committed to transforming transportation infrastructure to eliminate fatalities on roadways,” said Harriet Anderson Langford, Founder and President of The Ray. “By investing in DFR with Troup County, The Ray extends its focus beyond road safety to emergency situations where timely and effective response is crucial.”

About The Ray

The Ray is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit charity and net-zero highway testbed, located on 18 miles of Interstate 85 between Lagrange, Georgia and the Georgia-Alabama state line. This stretch of interstate is named in memory of Ray C. Anderson (1934-2011), a Georgia native recognized as a leader in green business when he challenged his company, Interface, Inc., to pursue a zero environmental footprint. Our mission is to reimagine how we connect our communities, our lives and the world in a way that is safer, more responsive to the climate, more regenerative to the environment, and more capable of creating economic opportunity through innovative ideas and technologies that will transform transportation infrastructure. The Ray Highway is paving the way for a zero carbon, zero waste, zero deaths highway system that will build a safer and more prosperous future for us all. Learn more at www.TheRay.org.

About Georgia Department of Transportation

Georgia Department of Transportation plans, constructs and maintains Georgia’s state and federal highways. We’re involved in bridge, waterway, public transit, rail, general aviation, bike and pedestrian programs. And we help local governments maintain their roads. Georgia DOT and its nearly 4,000 employees are committed to delivering a transportation system focused on innovation, safety, sustainability and mobility. The Department’s vision is to boost Georgia’s competitiveness through leadership in transportation.

About Skydio

Skydio is the leading U.S. drone manufacturer and world leader in autonomous flight. Skydio leverages breakthrough AI to create the world’s most intelligent flying machines for use by consumer, enterprise, and government customers. Founded in 2014, Skydio is made up of leading experts in AI, robotics, cameras, and electric vehicles from top companies, research labs, and universities from around the world. Skydio designs, assembles, and supports its products in the U.S. from its headquarters in San Mateo, CA, to offer the highest standards of supply chain and manufacturing security. Skydio is trusted by leading enterprises across a wide range of industry sectors and is backed by top investors and strategic partners including Andreessen Horowitz, Levitate Capital, Next47, IVP, Playground, and NVIDIA.

About Troup County

With 446 square miles of beautiful water and emerging landscape, Troup County houses three municipalities: LaGrange (County seat), West Point, and Hogansville. With a population of almost 70,000, Troup County is home to diverse industries, including automotive, textile, and chemical. It supports three institutions of higher education, including LaGrange College, Point University, and West Georgia Technical College. Located on the Chattahoochee River, the county offers access to the amenities of West Point Lake, which is predominately in Troup County.

Troup County is a division of the State of Georgia. Our government operates under an elected five member Board of Commissioners with four districts and one at large, and it has an appointed County Manager. Located in West Georgia, Troup County’s primary functions are general administration, judicial, public safety, transportation and health and welfare. On our website, you will find the most relevant and up-to-date information about our departments and courts, online services and assistance, resident programs and support, the latest news, including Public Notices and S.P.L.O.S.T. information, and innovative ways to experience the culture of Troup County.

Troup County is a member of the ACCG (Association County Commissioners of Georgia) and NACo (National Association of Counties).To keep up with the latest news involving Troup County Government, go to www.troupcountyga.org or follow us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.

MEDIA CONTACTS:

The Ray:

Dallen McLemore, Communications Specialist, The Ray 
229.449.6168 | dallen@theray.org | @TheRayHighway

Skydio:

press@skydio.com

Troup County:

Caroline Johnson, Communications Manager, (706) 298-3670 or cjohnson@troupcountyga.gov.

What you need to know:

Verizon goes back to school with new immersive learning content across its award-winning education initiative, Verizon Innovative Learning, which has now provided over 3.5M students nationwide with digital skills training.K-12 educators nationwide can access tech-driven content from new and existing partners through Verizon Innovative Learning HQ, a free education portal that makes innovative learning tools available to all.This fall, Verizon will add 31 new Title I middle and high schools and 36 new labs to Verizon Innovative Learning.For a limited time customers can save $279.99 on select tablets when purchased with a 5G phone.

NEW YORK, August 14, 2023 /3BL/ – As students return to classrooms, Verizon aims to increase digital equity and inclusion for teachers and students nationwide through its award-winning education initiative, Verizon Innovative Learning. In partnership with trusted education partners, edtech innovators and cultural institutions, educators will have access to a growing suite of programs and resources, including new tech-driven, ready-to-teach lesson plans that leverage the power of augmented reality (AR) and virtual reality (VR) apps in the classroom.

Launched in 2021, Verizon Innovative Learning HQ, a free education portal that makes innovative learning tools available to all K-12 educators nationwide, is unveiling more immersive educational content, including new esports and gaming-based curricula, as well as building on existing lesson plans and apps to provide students with the skills needed to thrive in a digital world. New innovative content Verizon plans to release during the 2023-2024 school year includes learning tools from:

Games for Change: The non-profit has developed new professional development courses and lesson plans enabling educators to effectively implement esports and game design-based lesson plans within their classrooms. In addition, new college and career readiness curricula give students the opportunity to explore post-graduate options related to gaming and esports.The AI Education Project: The nonprofit organization plans to release a 10-week project-based course that introduces the fundamentals of AI through engaging, culturally relevant lesson plans.McGraw Hill: Building on the McGraw Hill AR app launched in 2022, the leading global education company plans to release science-focused course offerings covering a range of topics from anatomy and physiology to glaciers and photosynthesis. This is in addition to new math and social studies activities, as well as a new multi-language feature that just released offering Spanish versions of the original 10 math lessons.Discovery Education: In partnership with Discovery Education, Verizon has created a suite of standards-aligned digital learning resources to support two augmented reality apps, TimePod and Sandbox AR. These free apps let students create, share, and explore their curiosity through immersive worlds, including new paleontology content launching this Fall.NYC Media Lab: The partnership has released a series of learning content using 5G EdTech apps such as Arcadia Earth, Looking Inside: Cells, Visceral Science and 5G Covet’s Tile Coding app from the winners of the Museum Initiative – a program aimed at connecting educators nationwide with museums, science centers, aquariums, and cultural institutions. 

“Through Verizon Innovative Learning, we’ve seen how equitable access to technology and next-gen tools can not only drive student engagement but provide vital tools for educators to transform their classroom,” said Alex Servello, Director of Corporate Social Responsibility at Verizon. “With the help of our partners, more classrooms nationwide will have the opportunity to develop students’ digital skills with ready-to-teach, tech-focused learning materials that explore new technologies, such as AI, and embed gaming/esports.”

Verizon Innovative Learning

For over a decade, working through nonprofit partners, Verizon Innovative Learning has committed over $1 billion in market value to support digital equity and inclusion within education for some of the most vulnerable populations across the country. Focused on helping students develop the skills, knowledge and capabilities for success, the award-winning initiative has now reached over 3.5 million students across the U.S. while providing hundreds of Title I schools with connectivity and next-gen technologies that bring innovative lesson plans to life.

In partnership with the nonprofit Digital Promise, Verizon is expanding the Verizon Innovative Learning Schools program by welcoming 31 new Title I schools from 10 new school districts across nine states, bringing the program’s total reach to 592 schools nationwide. Students and teachers of this new cohort will be equipped with devices – including tablets and laptops – as well as up to four years of data, empowering 24/7 learning in and out of the classroom.

In addition, Verizon is opening 36 new Verizon Innovative Learning Labs in Title I schools across the country this school year, bringing the total to 142 labs across 24 states, and offering emerging technology with a student-facing, project-based curriculum. In collaboration with nonprofit partner Heart of America and the J. Orin Edson Entrepreneurship + Innovation Institute at Arizona State University, the Verizon Innovative Learning Lab program provides students with access to robust, hands-on learning tools such as VR equipment, 3D printing stations, AR apps and more in a custom-designed, state-of-the-art experiential learning environment.

These efforts are part of Citizen Verizon, the company’s responsible business plan for economic, environmental and social advancement. Through Citizen Verizon, the company has a goal to provide 10 million youths with digital skills training by 2030.

Verizon delivers back-to-school savings

This back-to-school season, Verizon is offering affordable deals on accessories and 5G devices, all from the network America relies on. Now through August 23, 2023, customers can save $279.99 on select tablets when purchased with a 5G phone and, right now customers that buy a 5G smartphone, get Razer Edge 5G for as low as $0/month with select service plans.1

1 5G Phone Only: Up to $1,919.99 device payment purchase with new or upgrade smartphone line on select service plan required first.

Razer Edge 5G: $599.99 device payment purchase with new line on service plan required. Less $599.99 promotion credit applied over 36 mos.; promotional credit ends if eligibility requirements are no longer met; 0% APR.

Media contact(s)

Herbert Nyarko

herbert.aidoo-nyarko@verizon.com

PHILADELPHIA, August 14, 2023 /3BL/ — Aramark (NYSE: ARMK), a global provider of hospitality, facilities, and uniform services in 19 countries, has been named one of the “Best Companies for Diversity, Equity & Inclusion (DEI)” by BLACK ENTERPRISE, the top Black digital media brand and premier business and financial resource for African Americans.

This recognition highlights a select group of publicly traded corporations that have demonstrated an unwavering commitment to creating dynamic workforces, diverse corporate governance, expansive supply chains, and inclusive management.

“We are honored to be recognized by BLACK ENTERPRISE for our commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion,” said Fenimore Fisher, Vice President of DEI at Aramark. “DEI is an essential part of our culture and a key area of focus in all aspects of Aramark’s business. We are focused on enabling an equal and inclusive culture to meet the needs of our employees, our customers, and the communities we serve.”

Aramark’s commitment to people is a core part of the company’s environmental, social, and corporate governance (ESG) platform, Be Well. Do Well., focused on positively impacting people and the planet. Aramark’s DEI focused workplace goal is to create a culture of community and inclusion through the work and continued global expansion of its employee resource groups and allyship network, capability building, and meaningful management engagement with employees. Two achievements this year were the launch of its first voluntary and confidential self-identification (self-ID) campaign, with voluntary questions about LGBTQ+ identity and orientation, and hosting emerging leaders from Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs), in partnership with the Thurgood Marshall College Fund.

In addition to this award from BLACK ENTERPRISE, Aramark’s diversity efforts have been recognized most recently by DiversityInc, ranking number 40 on the 2023 Top 50 Companies for Diversity list, up five spots from last year’s ranking, and its seventh consecutive year appearing on the Top 50 list. Aramark was also ranked on DiversityInc’s 2023 Top Companies for Supplier Diversity list for the first time, at number 20. Earlier this year, Aramark was named to Newsweek’s list of America’s Most Responsible Companies 2023; recognized as a Top 50 Employer by CAREERS & the disABLED Magazine, for the ninth consecutive year; and earned a score of 100 on the Disability Equality Index® (DEI), a joint initiative of the American Association of People with Disabilities (AAPD) and Disability:IN. With this top-score, Aramark is recognized as a “Best Place to Work for Disability Inclusion,” for the seventh consecutive year.

About BLACK ENTERPRISE

Founded in 1970, BLACK ENTERPRISE is a mission-centric publication focused on providing relevant information for success-minded people at every stage of their financial journey. Designed to highlight Black leadership and entrepreneurial journeys, BLACK ENTERPRISE reaches its audience through its events and linear and digital channels. BLACK ENTERPRISE aims to be a fountain of knowledge on the how to in achieving financial success. To learn more about the company, please visit blackenterprise.com and follow us on social media across Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook.

About Aramark

Aramark (NYSE: ARMK) proudly serves the world’s leading educational institutions, Fortune 500 companies, world champion sports teams, prominent healthcare providers, iconic destinations and cultural attractions, and numerous municipalities in 19 countries around the world with food, facilities, and uniform services. Because our culture is rooted in service, our employees strive to do great things for each other, our partners, our communities, and the planet. Aramark has been recognized on FORTUNE’s list of “World’s Most Admired Companies,” DiversityInc’s “Top 50 Companies for Diversity” and “Top Companies for Supplier Diversity,” Newsweek’s list of “America’s Most Responsible Companies 2023,” the HRC’s “Best Places to Work for LGBTQ Equality,” and scored 100% on the Disability Equality Index. Learn more at www.aramark.com and connect with us on Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn.

The Dallas Holocaust and Human Rights Museum launched a new special exhibit, Black Citizenship in the Age of Jim Crow, supported by Texas Capital, on July 20, 2023. Organized by the New-York Historical Society, this exhibition takes visitors from the end of the Civil War to the end of World War I and examines how Black Americans advocated for equal rights in a hostile system. It showcases artifacts, photographs, and media to illustrate these transformative decades in American history and their continued relevance.

This exhibit explores the life of Black Americans in the 50 years that unfolded after the Civil War and the emancipation of enslaved African Americans. “Black Citizenship in the Age of Jim Crow provides visitors with valuable insights into the difficult circumstances faced by African Americans in the post-slavery era as the nation struggled to make emancipation and true equality a reality,” said Mary Pat Higgins, Museum President and CEO.

Texas Capital also sponsored the exhibit’s opening night on July 19, 2023. The evening included a discussion on Texas freedom colonies, which explained their history, significance, and how these settlements are being identified and protected today. Patrons had the opportunity to enjoy a reception and view the exhibit before the program, which featured various speakers.

“Texas Capital is honored to sponsor this incredible exhibit that takes us on this journey and history lesson on the struggle for full citizenship and racial equality for Black citizens for 50 years after the Civil War,” says Effie Dennison, Managing Director and Head of Community Development. “Remembering our past provides a wealth of knowledge about ourselves, how far we have come and work we need to continue to do as we strive for racial equity in this country today.”

This exhibition will remain open to the public until December 31, 2023. Click here to learn more about the exhibit and Dallas Holocaust and Human Rights Museum.

About Texas Capital 

Texas Capital Bank (individually and collectively with all affiliates and subsidiaries, “Texas Capital”), is a full-service financial services firm that delivers customized solutions to businesses, entrepreneurs, and individual customers. Founded in 1998, the institution is headquartered in Dallas with offices in Austin, Houston, San Antonio and Fort Worth, and has built a network of clients across the country. With the ability to service clients through their entire lifecycles, Texas Capital has established commercial banking, consumer banking, investment banking and wealth management capabilities.

About the Dallas Holocaust and Human Rights Museum

The mission of the Dallas Holocaust and Human Rights Museum is to teach the history of the Holocaust and advance human rights to combat prejudice, hatred, and indifference. Founded in 1984 by local Holocaust survivors, the institution now resides in a new building in downtown Dallas where visitors experience a deeper immersion into the history of the Holocaust, human and civil rights, their centrality to our democracy, and their vital importance in preventing events like those of the Holocaust from happening again. The 55,000-square-foot permanent home covers three floors, and the main exhibition includes four wings that teach about the Holocaust, the creation of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights after World War II, historical and contemporary genocides, and America’s civil rights journey. Please visit DHHRM.org or call (214) 741-7500 for more information.

Originally published on bloomberg.com

This analysis is from BloombergNEF. It appeared first on the Bloomberg Terminal.

The winners of BloombergNEF’s Pioneers 2023 award were announced on April 17. The annual competition searches for game-changing technologies or innovations with the potential to accelerate global decarbonization and halt climate change. This note profiles each of this year’s 12 winners, describing how the technologies work, the maturity of each company and the reasons behind BNEF’s decision-making process.

BNEF has run the Pioneers competition since 2010. Since then, there have been 141 winners, including this year’s Pioneers. These companies have cumulatively raised $14.9 billion. In 2023, BNEF received applications from 348 companies in 42 countries.Challenge 1 — Accelerating the deployment of clean hydrogen: The winners of this challenge are developing electrolyzer technologies for the production of hydrogen (SunGreenH2’s electrode technology and H2Pro’s electrochemical and thermally active electrolysis) and equipment that can run on hydrogen (Mainspring Energy’s linear generator).Challenge 2 — Sustainable metals and materials for an electrified future: The winners of our metals challenge are developing novel methods of extracting metals (Jetti Resources’ catalyst for recovering copper from stranded ore), recycling batteries (Li-Cycle’s hydrometallury process) and metals processing (Nth Cycle’s electroextraction process).Challenge 3 — Building a net-zero food production system: The winners of the agriculture challenge are developing ways to improve crop farming (Precision AI’s drones for herbicide application), produce low-carbon proteins (MicroHarvest’s microbial fermentation of proteins) and reduce emissions from animals (FutureFeed’s seaweed feed ingredient).Wildcards: The wildcards category is open to any climate-tech innovation outside of the challenges listed above. This year’s winners are applying electrochemistry in novel ways in the cement (Sublime System’s lime production process), steel (Electra’s low-carbon ironmaking for steel) and carbon removal (Travertine’s acid and base production) industries.

BloombergNEF (BNEF), Bloomberg’s primary research service, covers clean energy, advanced transport, digital industry, innovative materials and commodities. BNEF helps corporate strategy, finance and policy professionals navigate change and generate opportunities. Explore more content on the BNEF blog. 

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August 14, 2023 /3BL/ – As the California State Assembly returns this week to Sacramento for the end of the 2023 legislative proceedings, more than a dozen major companies are calling for lawmakers to finalize first-in-the-nation legislation that would require companies to provide standardized and consistent climate-related disclosures.

In the coming weeks, lawmakers are set to consider two key pieces of legislation that would provide consumers, investors, and other stakeholders with information about how companies are managing the financial risks and opportunities from climate change. SB 253 (authored by Sen. Scott Wiener) would require all large public and private companies operating in the state to report their greenhouse gas emissions across their operations and supply and value chains, while SB 261 (authored by Sen. Henry Stern) would require them to report on their climate-related financial risks.

While most large companies voluntarily disclose climate information already, these bills would provide a standardized and consistent template that would apply to companies operating in California, across the economy. Designed to meet the growing consumer and investor demand for information about companies’ risk management and sustainability plans, the legislation has also won the support of leading businesses who see an opportunity to demonstrate their leadership to those stakeholders while helping them measure their own progress toward achieving their goals.

“We believe businesses have a responsibility to use not just their voices, but their operations to ensure the long-term health of our planet. We must develop new and innovative models to decouple economic growth from environmental impact while freely sharing our findings along the way. We must empower our employees, members, customers, and communities to support this transition. And we must demand that our government does the same,” said Matthew Thurston, divisional vice president, sustainability, REI Co-op. “Legislation such as SB 253 and SB 261 provide the necessary transparency for businesses to account for their carbon emissions and climate risks, a key step towards enabling them to measure, verify, and achieve their climate targets.”

“Decarbonization in the corporate sector should be an urgent priority given the growing risks posed by climate change,” said Stuart Landesberg, CEO, Grove Collaborative. “Without scope 1-3 GHG emissions disclosures, the full picture of corporate climate emissions and climate risks remains fragmented, incomplete, and unverified—making demands for action difficult to understand and follow through on. SB 253 and SB 261 provide a foundation for meaningful climate action, which is why Grove Collaborative proudly supports these critical steps towards corporate decarbonization, required to meet our net zero emissions by 2030 goal.”

Corporate support for the legislation has been growing this year. More than a dozen companies have submitted a letter to lawmakers in support of SB 253: Microsoft, IKEA USA, Sierra Nevada Brewing Co., Patagonia, Adobe, Avocado Green Brands, Dignity Health, Grove Collaborative, REI Co-Op, Everlane, Eileen Fisher, Recology, Atlassian, and Seventh Generation. In a separate letter, 12 companies signed in support of SB 261: Microsoft, VF Corp., Patagonia, REI Co-Op, Sierra Nevada, Alter Eco, DSM North America, Seventh Generation, Grove Collaborative, Avocado Green Brands, Atlassian, and Everlane.

Consumers and investors alike have been making their desire for climate disclosure increasingly clear in recent years. According to a recent survey, 85% of Americans said companies should disclose more about the impact of their business practices on society, and 87% support mandatory climate disclosure. And in 2022, more than 500 investors representing nearly $40 trillion in assets under management called for governments around the world to strengthen climate disclosure standards, such as by requiring mandatory reporting.

After a previous version of SB 253 failed to pass by a single vote in 2022, both bills have already been approved this year by the state Senate and are expected to come up for a vote in the Assembly before the end of the legislative session.

If passed, the bills would create the first broad-based climate disclosure policy in the U.S., with SB 253 applying to more than 5,300 companies and SB 261 covering more than 10,000 companies — reflecting California’s position as the world’s fifth-largest economy. The legislation would complement the IFRS’s International Sustainability Standards Board disclosure standards, the EU’s Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive, and the federal disclosure rule soon to be finalized by the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, because it would provide transparency into how both public and private companies are managing material climate-related financial risks and opportunities.

“The disclosure of corporate financial risks is a normal business function, which is why policymakers around the world are sensibly applying it to the considerable business and economic threats of climate change,” said Alli Gold Roberts, senior director of state policy, Ceres. “Leading companies see the benefits of these policies, which help them attract investment, inform consumers, and measure their own progress toward their goals. Ceres and the companies and investors we work with urge the State Assembly to finalize SB 253 and SB 261 this year, positioning California once again as a national economic leader by bringing standardized and consistent climate disclosure requirements to the U.S.”

Ceres will join a rally at the Sacramento Capitol on Aug. 23 at 1 p.m. to demonstrate broad, cross-sectoral support for both SB 253 and SB 261. Notable participants include the bill authors, Sens. Wiener and Stern, as well as Assembly Member Tasha Boerner and other supporters of the legislation, such as Patagonia, California Environmental Voters, and the Greenlining Institute, among others.

About Ceres

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

Media Contact: Helen Booth-Tobin, booth-tobin@ceres.org, 617-247-0700 ext. 214

Buildings account for at least 39% of energy-related global carbon emissions annually, and a significant portion of these emissions result from embodied carbon associated with building materials and construction. It has become evident that a change in the way we plan and manage our built environment is crucial to addressing climate change and sustainability challenges.

Forward-thinking businesses are embracing construction circularity as a strategic approach to reduce their dependence on scarce raw materials and minimize waste generation.

Let’s take a closer look at construction circularity and the many benefits it offers both businesses and the environment.

What Is Construction Circularity?

Construction circularity is an approach that focuses on reusing, recycling, and renewing materials and resources throughout a building’s life cycle. It creates a closed-loop system where waste is minimized and materials are continually reintegrated into the construction process.

The construction circularity movement has emerged as a means for the construction industry to engage in more sustainable and resource-efficient practices.

For more in-depth discussion on this topic make sure to join our webinar on Building Materials Circularity from our Global Remediation Working Group on September 7, Register Here!

What Are the Fundamental Principles of Construction Circularity?

These guiding principles of construction circularity help those in both the construction and demolition industries maintain a closed loop.

Design for deconstruction: Buildings are designed with the idea that they will be disassembled or deconstructed in the future. This means using modular and easily separable components.Mindful demolition: Instead of disposing of building materials as waste, efforts are made to salvage and reuse them in new construction projects.Resource efficiency: Construction circularity encourages using fewer resources and choosing materials with a lower environmental impact, such as green building materials. This reduces the need for raw materials and lowers overall waste generation.Extended lifespan: Buildings are constructed to be durable and long-lasting, minimizing the need for frequent replacements and renovations.Circular business models: This strategy involves adopting business models that support the recovery and reuse of building materials. It may include rental, leasing, or buyback arrangements for certain materials.

Construction Circularity in Action

Let’s take a look at how construction circularity works with one of the world’s most commonly used and recycled synthetic materials: concrete.

Responsible material sourcing

In the first stage, sustainable practices are applied when sourcing concrete for construction. Alternative cementitious materials, such as fly ash or slag – the byproducts of other industrial processes – can be used, reducing the demand for raw materials.

Mindful demolition

At the end of the building’s life cycle, the structure is carefully dismantled and concrete is salvaged for reuse or recycling. The concrete is crushed into aggregate.

Design for disassembly

During the design phase of a new building, architects and engineers implement strategies for easy disassembly. Modular construction techniques are adopted, allowing for individual components, including concrete elements, to be easily separated and reused in future projects.

Material reuse

The recycled concrete aggregate from the previous demolition is incorporated into the new construction project, extending its life and reducing the embodied carbon footprint of the building.

End-of-life recycling

When this new structure reaches the end of its life, any remaining concrete is carefully dismantled and sent for recycling. The recycled concrete is then used again in the construction of new buildings, completing the circularity loop.

Benefits of Construction Circularity

Reduced greenhouse gas emissions. Manufacturing new building materials has a significant carbon footprint. Adopting construction circularity and reusing materials can substantially mitigate these negative environmental impacts.Improved ESG performance. Embracing material reuse not only helps combat climate change but also aligns with your environmental, social, and governance-related sustainability goals, showcasing your commitment to a greener and more environmentally responsible business.Conservation of raw materials. The extraction of raw materials puts immense strain on natural resources and ecosystems, leading to habitat destruction and biodiversity loss. Circular practices minimize the demand for virgin materials, promoting sustainable resource management and reducing the environmental footprint of your projects.Decrease overall waste generation. The construction industry generates an astonishing amount of waste, contributing significantly to environmental impact. Adopting sustainable strategies contributes to a greener and more efficient construction process.Reduce hazardous materials in the environment. Proper demolition techniques and material reuse play a vital role in minimizing the release of hazardous substances into the environment.Avoid fines and fees for improper disposal. Improper waste disposal can lead to severe legal and financial repercussions for businesses. However, by implementing mindful demolition and material reuse, you can steer clear of these penalties.

A Winning Strategy for Sustainable Building Practices

With decreased reliance on costly new materials and reduced waste disposal expenses, companies can achieve greater operational efficiency and bolster their bottom line. Embracing construction circularity through mindful demolition and thoughtful design not only contributes to a more sustainable future but also provides tangible benefits for businesses.

You can view more on the Benefits of Green Building in this previous blog. 

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Regulations regarding plastic waste are expanding at a dizzying pace. The United Kingdom established plastic taxes in 2022, followed by Spain in 2023. The United States is intensifying its regulatory efforts, with more than 100 extended producer responsibility (EPR) laws implemented to date.

Meanwhile, in its quest to make all packaging reusable or recyclable by 2030, the United Nations is preparing to launch a plastic treaty in 2024. At the same time, businesses themselves are furthering their commitment to sustainable practices through voluntary agreements, such as those proposed by the Ellen MacArthur Foundation and the United Nations Environment Program (UNEP).

Consumers are taking up the issue as well. According to UNEP, 91% of consumers express concern over plastic waste. A study by Trivium Packaging and Boston Consulting Group indicates that 73% are willing to spend more for eco-friendly packaging.

Compliance with these new regulations can be a challenging and expensive task for businesses of all sizes. Many smaller to mid-range organizations lack in-house expertise on these issues, often resulting in either rudimentary monitoring or expensive outsourcing. Larger companies may find the immense scale of the task daunting and default to costly shortcuts.

“With the complexity that they face and the sheer volume of business they have across multiple products and multiple countries, many organizations tend to be conservative to avoid fines,” explains Darren West, product expert for Circular Economy Solutions at SAP. “As a result, they will more or less approximate what taxes they need to pay, and overestimate to add in some contingency.”

Driving Up Accuracy, Driving Down Costs

For consumer goods giant Henkel, the quest for an effective solution to its plastic waste challenge began in its tax department. Triggered by the advent of plastic taxes across the UK and EU, Henkel’s tax experts embarked on a project aimed at addressing compliance from a fiscal perspective.

On the IT side, the team was immediately faced with some significant hurdles. First, to comply with new regulations and avoid penalties, it needed a system that could monitor, measure, and report its products’ plastic data. Amidst a limited market of solutions, finding the right tool for its needs was no easy task – one made more difficult due to the newness of the regulations. And it needed to aggregate and organize the essential master data for accurate reporting without excessively complicating or inflating the cost of its IT infrastructure.

SAP Responsible Design and Production was born out of a desire for a more dynamic approach to plastic waste. The solution can supply teams with a streamlined, granular data management system to help facilitate the monitoring, measuring, and reporting related to the environmental impact of production and packaging.

Today, the SAP Responsible Design and Production solution assists operations such as Henkel’s in navigating the labyrinth of product and packaging composition. Handling the details of primary, secondary, and tertiary packaging, as well as transport packaging throughout the supply chain, requires a meticulous approach. The solution offers a digital model of the larger packaging and product landscape, helping facilitate a thorough and accurate impact analysis.

To encapsulate the complexity of the packaging process, the solution can capture precise data on material flows and circularity attributes. It can also assist teams in recording the weights, volumes, and shipment information as well as important details regarding recycled content, import/export information, and the various packaging components. This precision is crucial for calculating plastic taxes as well as EPR fees, which demand exceptional accuracy and knowledge of detailed material flows within a country and across borders.

In the future, SAP plans to extend the solution to help track and monitor the recyclability, reusability, and embedded CO2 of various materials. Such data is essential for organizations seeking to comprehend their scope 3 emissions across their entire packaging portfolio and to make their packaging more sustainable.

The solution helps provide results that businesses can stand behind, saving time and money and decreasing complexity – particularly when it comes to new markets. If an enterprise is based in one country, such as Belgium or the Netherlands, and is looking to expand, say, to France and Italy – which each have their own distinct systems and rules to govern packaging – the complexity of data management increases. With SAP Responsible Design and Production, material, packaging, and transportation data can be tailored for new market expansions without repeating the same processes.

But the real beauty lies in the solution’s ability to adapt once the data is integrated. It can seamlessly adjust to different market requirements, working to enable straightforward report generation for tax and EPR compliance at the click of a button.

“What we’re talking about here is simplicity,” says West.

Redesigning a More Sustainable Future

Data and insights are just the start. The real challenge is translating this information into action.

Beyond supporting businesses in fulfilling operational obligations such as paying plastic taxes and accurately calculating EPR fees, the solution can enable informed strategic decisions. By offering insights into the impact of material choices and compositions, it helps empower businesses to embrace sustainable and responsible packaging solutions and business models.

After working with SAP Responsible Design and Production, Henkel was able to meet its fundamental obligations more efficiently, gaining better insight into its data. These new capabilities have delivered far more than short-term efficiencies. They’ve spotlighted Henkel’s ongoing efforts to reduce its environmental footprint, adding a new dimension to its green leadership in the industry.

“One of the greatest things about this solution is what it does for an organization like Henkel,” says Stephen Jamieson, global head of Circular Economy Solutions at SAP. “Namely, allowing it to evidence the good work it is already doing very effectively.”

Henkel’s initiative with SAP Responsible Design and Production dovetails well with a related Henkel initiative to strengthen supplier communication, collect more data, and enrich its sustainability database.

These efforts equip Henkel’s teams to pinpoint the products with the highest plastic tax load. These insights could soon guide strategic product redesign, potentially leading to significant cost savings. Moreover, by laying a solid foundation in regions such as Spain and the UK, Henkel is preparing itself to adapt to regulatory changes across markets.

The Road Ahead

As the global economy begins to look towards a more circular model, SAP Responsible Design and Production is innovating in stride. Recognizing that businesses interact with diverse material types, the solution will expand in the future to accommodate elements such as food, land use, textiles, batteries, waste electronics, and more – all cornerstones of the circular economy – measuring key factors such as virgin materials, recycled content, embedded CO2, and renewable content.

At its core, SAP Responsible Design and Production aims to assist organizations in actualizing their circular economy vision – eliminating waste, promoting material circulation, and rejuvenating natural systems. The solution is engineered to integrate smoothly with essential business processes and systems, empowering businesses to implement their sustainability strategies with more precision and efficacy. Whether it’s incorporating cost calculations into invoice procedures or integrating with other solutions to create a more holistic approach to sustainable practices overall, SAP Responsible Design and Production can assist teams in transforming their business operations.

“At Henkel, we are committed to leadership in plastics reduction and offering greener options for our customers,” says Dr. Nora Mundschenk, corporate director, Finance Tax and Trade Group, Henkel AG & Co. KGaA. “SAP Responsible Design and Production and SAP Services and Support are going to help us do that.”

For more information on how SAP helps companies record, report, and act on their sustainability goals, visit www.sap.com/sustainability.