Tag: 3BL

Originally published by CAREERS & the disABLED

Bird & MacDonald Advocate for Inclusion at Boston Scientific

HAVING DEVOTED HER ENTIRE CAREER TO DIVERSITY, EQUITY, AND INCLUSION (DEI) WORK, SHANI BIRD HAS LED DEI EFFORTS AT MARLBOROUGH, MA-HEADQUARTERED BOSTON SCIENTIFIC SINCE 2018. IN HER CAPACITY AS DIRECTOR OF DEI, BIRD STRIVES TO ENSURE THAT BOSTON SCIENTIFIC IS A PLACE WHERE THE BEST TALENT — REGARDLESS OF BACKGROUND OR ABILITY — CAN THRIVE.

“I help develop scalable solutions to embed DEI interventions across the employee lifecycle and provide strategic consulting to partners around the globe,” Bird explains, while also acknowledging the broader impact that her actions at Boston Scientific have beyond the workforce. “We’re working to dismantle or unwind centuries-old systemic issues and helping people see beyond themselves.”

When it comes to focusing those efforts in the workforce, Bird is keenly aware of the challenges and work specifically pertaining to hiring and retaining individuals with disabilities. “We know that individuals with disabilities are an underutilized talent pool with regard to their skillsets. There is so much talent to unlock there and we’re working towards doing that,” Bird offers. “For a solutions-driven company like Boston Scientific, it’s imperative to create a rich tapestry of talent that brings a diversity of experiences and perspectives to the table. It’s not only the right thing to do — it’s the necessary thing to do.”

Jacqueline “Jackie” MacDonald, a quality systems engineer, has experienced firsthand the efforts Boston Scientific has made and is making toward fostering a workplace culture of inclusion and belonging for its employees working with disabilities. Diagnosed with a rare disease called X-linked hypophosphatemia (XLH), MacDonald lives with chronic bone pain and shorter stature, which forced her to work with her employer to provide certain accommodations in the workplace, even when it felt like an uncomfortable subject to broach.

“There was a time when I wanted to hide my disease as best I could because I didn’t want to be treated differently. Since I’ve been more comfortable talking about my disease over the past few years, I feel that my openness has actually opened doors,” she explains, noting the accommodations that Boston Scientific has provided for herself and other employees working with disabilities — from a flexible, hybrid schedule to adding push buttons to bathrooms for handicap access and providing grabbers in the cafeteria which allow her to grab drinks from a higher shelf by herself.

Learn about Marlborough, MA-headquartered Boston Scientific. Connect on Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn, YouTube, Instagram, and Glassdoor. Explore careers at bostonscientific.com/en-US/careers.html.

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LINCOLN, Neb., August 3, 2023 /3BL/ – Newly-released data from the Arbor Day Foundation showed community trees are in greater demand than ever before.

In its fiscal year ending June 30, the Arbor Day Foundation helped to plant and distribute more than 630,000 trees worldwide. The total represented a 23% increase in community trees from the previous fiscal year.

“More people, including our federal leaders, are now recognizing the game-changing impact trees can have in our communities. Trees can reduce life-threatening heat, filter the air of pollutants and improve the health of those living around them,” said Dan Lambe, chief executive of the Arbor Day Foundation. “This incredible increase in demand is not just a passing moment of popularity for trees — it is our new normal.”

The Arbor Day Foundation has seen an upward trend in the total amount of trees planted and distributed over the last three fiscal years. It can partly be attributed to significant increases in the number of partners wanting to support this work, the number of projects requesting resources to plant trees in low-canopy neighborhoods and communities, and the number of local tree-planting organizations that were added to the Arbor Day Foundation network to carry out the work. While much of the work remains in the United States, the Arbor Day Foundation has also greatly expanded its reach of impact with community tree projects in 22 countries worldwide.

The 630,000 trees the Arbor Day Foundation helped to plant and distribute in FY 2022-2023 have found new homes in front yards, back yards, local parks and along city streets. These urban canopies provide hope after natural disasters, help homeowners save money on energy costs, reduce heat and air pollution in neighborhoods and improve people’s physical and mental well-being.

The Arbor Day Foundation uses technology that guides residents on strategic impact tree planting for maximized impact. The nonprofit also leverages a partnership with NatureQuant to use land and socioeconomic data to identify neighborhoods and communities most in need of trees. Along with its goal to plant 500 million trees by June 2027, the Arbor Day Foundation aims to focus 90% of its urban work in the areas of need. Click here to learn more about the initiative.

About the Arbor Day Foundation

Founded in 1972, the Arbor Day Foundation is the largest nonprofit membership organization dedicated to planting trees. Together with our partners, we have helped plant more than 500 million trees in neighborhoods, communities, cities and forests throughout the world. Our vision is to lead toward a world where trees are used to solve issues critical to survival. Through our members, partners and programs, the Arbor Day Foundation inspires people across the globe to plant, nurture and celebrate trees. More information is available at arborday.org.

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McDonald’s Franchisee Juan Marquez has always been able to see the next opportunity in front of him. But it’s his drive and dedication that have propelled him through a lifelong career with McDonald’s, helping him grow from a 16-year-old crew member to a Franchisee with three restaurants in the Portland area.

The journey begins

Born in Guadalajara, Mexico, Juan immigrated to the U.S. when he was just 5 years old – the result of his father’s hard work as a migrant farm worker in fields throughout the West Coast. When he turned 16, Juan got his first job at a McDonald’s restaurant in Pico Rivera, California, where he worked through high school and college.

As he started his own family, Juan’s ambitions continued to grow. He was promoted to Assistant Manager and then Store Manager before accepting a business consultant role in the Rocky Mountain region – his first big move with McDonald’s Corporate. The opportunities didn’t stop there: He relocated to Arizona to become a bilingual consultant and later a director of operations for a local Franchisee. Juan then became a franchise business partner in Arizona, New Mexico and Texas before taking the opportunity to lead McDelivery efforts for the Long Beach Field Office.

“The possibilities at McDonald’s are endless,” Juan says. “I’ve never been bored because there are so many avenues to pursue within the company. I have mentors in marketing, finance and operations who have shown me that the next opportunity is always there if you know where to look.”

Building the American dream

After almost 30 years with McDonald’s, Juan was ready to own part of the business and become a Franchisee. He dove headfirst into the selection and training process in late 2021 – a year he describes as the toughest yet most rewarding of his career. From in-restaurant immersions to online courses at Hamburger University and mentorship from veteran Franchisees, this program covers all aspects of owning and operating McDonald’s restaurants so that new Franchisees are set up for success.

Around the same time, McDonald’s announced its plan to increase global ownership opportunities for new talent from all backgrounds, committing $250 million in alternative financing options over five years to aspiring U.S. Franchisees facing socio-economic barriers. As of the end of 2022, new Franchisees took advantage of more than $50 million in alternative financing – including Juan, who tapped into this resource to purchase a trio of restaurants in Portland, Oregon, one year ago.

The next generation

Just like his father did for him and his siblings, Juan is hopeful that his hard work will build a lasting legacy for his daughters and grandchildren. And now that he’s fulfilled his dream of becoming a Franchisee, he has a new goal in mind: growing his organization to own 10 McDonald’s restaurants.

Despite all of his success, Juan still sees himself in his youngest crew members. He takes the time to help them find their next opportunity, whether it’s through improving English speaking and writing with English Under the Arches or pursuing a high school diploma or college degree through Archways to Opportunity.

“I always tell people that you can get whatever you want from McDonald’s – whether you want to be in the restaurant or build a career in technology, marketing or HR,” Juan says. “The sky’s the limit.”

Want to learn more about how McDonald’s is fostering a more diverse pool of Franchisees globally? Check out our 2022-2023 Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Report 

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MONTREAL, August 2, 2023 /3BL/ – Gildan Activewear Inc. (GIL: TSX and NYSE) is pleased to announce that the Science Based Targets initiative (SBTi) has validated that the Company’s 2030 near term greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions reduction targets are in conformance with the SBTi Criteria and Recommendations (version 4.2), marking a significant milestone in the advancement of the Company’s ESG strategy. The SBTi’s target validation team has classified Gildan’s Scope 1 and 2 target and has determined that it is in line with a well-below 2ºC trajectory.

“The validation of our emissions targets by SBTi further reinforces our commitment and builds on our foundation of strong sustainability practices which include social, environmental, and economic benefits in the communities where we operate. We understand the importance of climate change and, over the last year, we have been implementing our new climate strategy across our organization in order to make meaningful progress to ensure we attain our third generation of GHG emissions reduction targets,” says Peter Iliopoulos, Senior Vice-President, Taxation, Sustainability, and Governmental Affairs. “This is further evidence of our genuine commitment to making purposeful advancements by 2030 in line with our Next Generation ESG strategy.”

In 2022, Gildan unveiled its new Next Generation ESG strategy and targets, which seek to address global environmental and social priorities and increase the sustainability of products delivered to customers worldwide. As part of this strategy, Gildan committed to reduce its absolute Scope 1(1) and 2(2) GHG emissions by 30% by 2030 from a 2018 base year(3). Gildan also committed to reduce absolute Scope 3(4) GHG emissions by 13.5% by 2030 from a 2019 base year. Both targets have now been reviewed and validated by the SBTi.

About SBTi

The SBTi is a global body enabling businesses to set ambitious emissions reductions targets in line with the latest climate science. It is focused on accelerating companies across the world to halve emissions before 2030 and achieve net-zero emissions before 2050. The initiative is a collaboration between CDP, the United Nations Global Compact, World Resources Institute (WRI), the World Wildlife Fund for Nature (WWF), and one of the We Mean Business Coalition commitments.

About Gildan

Gildan is a leading manufacturer of everyday basic apparel. The Company’s product offering includes activewear, underwear, and socks, sold to a broad range of customers, including wholesale distributors, screenprinters or embellishers, as well as to retailers that sell to consumers through their physical stores and/or e-commerce platforms and to global lifestyle brand companies. The Company markets its products in North America, Europe, Asia Pacific, and Latin America, under a diversified portfolio of Company-owned brands including Gildan®, American Apparel®, Comfort Colors®, GOLDTOE®, Peds®, in addition to the Under Armour® brand through a sock licensing agreement providing exclusive distribution rights in the United States and Canada.

Gildan owns and operates vertically integrated, large-scale manufacturing facilities which are primarily located in Central America, the Caribbean, North America, and Bangladesh. Gildan operates with a strong commitment to industry-leading labour, environmental, and governance practices throughout its supply chain in accordance with its comprehensive ESG program embedded in the Company’s long-term business strategy. More information about the Company and its ESG practices and initiatives can be found at www.gildancorp.com.

(1) Scope 1 refers to direct emissions resulting from fuels used for stationary and mobile combustion across Gildan-operated facilities.

(2) Scope 2 refers to emissions resulting from Gildan’s purchase of electricity.

(3) The target boundary includes land-related emissions and removals from bioenergy feedstocks. 

(4) Scope 3 relates to emissions generated from its supply chain.

—

Investor inquiries: 
Jessy Hayem, CFA 
Vice President, Head of Investor Relations 
(514) 744-8511 
jhayem@gildan.com

Media inquiries: 
Genevieve Gosselin 
Director, Global Communications and Corporate Marketing 
(514) 343-8814 
ggosselin@gildan.com

Originally published in Enbridge’s 2022 Sustainability Report

In September 2021, Enbridge announced the acquisition of a 100% operating interest in the Enbridge Ingleside Energy Center (EIEC), a state-of-the-art shipping facility near Corpus Christi, Texas. The facility is North America’s largest crude export terminal, and loaded 25% of all U.S. Gulf Coast crude exports in 2020. Building on this investment in conventional energy export capacity, in 2022, Enbridge advanced steps to align this important facility with our ambitions for a net-zero future.

Investing for the transition

EIEC is an example of how we’re evaluating investments with a view to both emissions reduction and tomorrow’s energy markets. Before acquiring the facility, we considered its resiliency to a range of energy transition scenarios, taking into account the EIEC’s potential to produce and ship lower-carbon fuels—and to achieve net-zero operational emissions. While the facility’s primary function today is grounded in global demand for conventional fuel, we invested based on our confidence that the EIEC could evolve alongside our own strategic priorities as well as changes in global energy needs.

Seizing the low-carbon opportunity at Ingleside

In May 2022, just eight months after the acquisition of Ingleside, we announced the development of an ultra-low carbon, utility-scale energy production facility to supply hydrogen and ammonia to U.S. and global markets. Although some carbon dioxide is generated in these production processes, newly developed carbon capture infrastructure, including at facilities owned and operated by Enbridge, will sequester 95% of emissions. This sequestration capacity, combined with the fact that hydrogen and ammonia have zero CO2 emissions at the point of use, makes this EIEC energy supply highly sustainable.

Bringing sustainable power and efficiency to the shipping facility

Built in 2018 to industry-leading environmental standards to minimize its own carbon emissions, the EIEC is an advanced crude export terminal, capable of servicing very large crude carriers (VLCCs) efficiently and cost-effectively. In keeping with Enbridge’s program of lowering emissions across every part of our operations—including in the transport of conventional fuels—we are working to build a solar power project capacity at the site, making it one of the most sustainable export facilities in North America. We expect to be able to generate up to 60 MW of renewable power on the available land around the terminal, exceeding the facility’s own power needs and creating the opportunity to offer renewable power to nearby industrial and refining facilities, while achieving a robust return on our investments.

Enbridge Ingleside Energy Center is a good example of how Enbridge is leveraging existing conventional energy assets and capabilities to extend growth and capitalize on low-carbon opportunities in the energy transition.

Colin Gruending, 
Enbridge Executive Vice President and President, Liquids Pipelines

Read more

Whirlpool Corporation has been recognized by Forbes as one of the Best Employers for Women in America. This prestigious award is presented by Forbes and Statista Inc., the world-leading statistics portal and industry ranking provider.

Whirlpool is deeply committed to building a culture where everyone feels welcomed, heard, respected and valued,” said Carey Martin, executive vice president and chief human resources officer at Whirlpool Corp. “We’re honored to be recognized again for advancing progress toward a more inclusive, diverse and fair world that celebrates and empowers women.”

Inclusion and diversity is an enduring value at Whirlpool Corp. The company has continued to prioritize meaningful actions that cultivate an even stronger inclusive and diverse workplace. In the past year, Whirlpool Corp. introduced Empower, a multi-month program designed to develop high-potential manager- and senior-manager-level women in Latin America and Asia; launched new family and fertility benefits in the U.S.; and hosted the fourth annual global inclusion campaign, offering 200 hours of micro-learning courses with an emphasis on the importance of inclusive behaviors. The company also has 17 employee resource groups (ERGs) worldwide, including four regional chapters of the Whirlpool Women’s Network (WWN), which empowers and engages women at all levels across the organization through networking events, career development programs and advanced leadership opportunities.

Whirlpool Corp. is frequently recognized for its efforts toward improving employee engagement and support. This year alone, Whirlpool Corp. was named one of the Best Companies to Work For by U.S. News & World Report, one of America’s Most Just Companies for 2023, and one of the World’s Most Admired Companies by Fortune for the 13th consecutive year.

Companies chosen for the Forbes Best Employers for Women list were identified in an independent survey from a sample of more than 60,000 U.S. employees working for companies employing at least 1,000 people within the United States. The sample included about 40,000 women who were asked to rate their company based on four different criteria, including working environment, salary, employee diversity and whether they would recommend their company. These answers were compared to those of 20,000 men to evaluate any differences in perception of the workplace.

Click here to see the full list of Forbes America’s Best Employers for Women 2023.

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Since the launch of its new in-house washing and reusable cup program in February in partnership with Levy Restaurants, AEG Germany, a division of Anschutz Entertainment Group (“AEG”), has diverted more than 1.1 million single-use plastic cups from landfills in its first six months of operations.

Fans attending events at Mercedes-Benz Arena or the Verti Music Hall in Berlin and Barclay’s Arena in Hamburg, now receive their drinks in recycled Ökocups, which are cleaned on-site. The new reusable cup system replaces all paper and biodegradable PLA disposable cups that were previously used in the venues.

“Each year, Barclays Arena, Mercedes-Benz Arena, and Verti Music Hall host up to 170 events and utilizes an average of 10,000 beverage cups per event,” said Uwe Frommhold, Chief Operating Officer for AEG Germany. “Adopting a reusable cup system with an in-house rinsing line has proven to be a step in the right direction, allowing us to operate more responsibly and minimize our environmental impact across our operations.”

Cleaning the reusable cups onsite also eliminates the emissions that would normally be generated during transport to an external cup washing facility. The Ökocups are largely made from recycled plastic and are reprocessed to 100% at the end of their service life. The new in-house washing and reusable cup initiative builds on AEG Germany’s ongoing commitment to achieve greater sustainability in throughout its operations.

As the leading sports and live entertainment company, AEG is committed to operating responsibly and to catalyzing the influence of live entertainment to preserve the planet for future generations. The company has been embedding sustainability into its global business since 2008. To learn more about its global sustainability initiatives, click here.

The rise of ESG investing has caused a paradigm shift in the industry. Standardization and data automation will play an integral role in ESG reporting, thus driving transparency and informed decision-making.

Interest in ESG (environmental, social, governance) investing is continuing to reach new heights. While a focus on ESG has been prevalent for some time now, this surge in interest has been fueled by Canada’s commitment to achieving net-zero emissions by 2050 and an increasing number of stakeholders who expect ESG considerations be integrated into their investment programs. As a result, sustainable investments among large Canadian pensions, spurred on by growing climate concerns and social and governance issues observed globally, went from $163 billion to $276 billion in one year.1 More importantly, the awareness of the potential impact that ESG can have on sustainable risk-adjusted returns is why plan sponsors and plan members have increasingly focused their attention on ESG investing.

As the level of ESG investing has increased, the need for better, more consistent and transparent disclosure standards and regulatory frameworks has also accelerated. With that comes the necessity for higher quality data and the ability to pull together disparate data sets for investor and regulatory reporting.

Net-Zero Commitments

In response to growing concerns about climate change, the Government of Canada made a commitment to achieve net-zero emissions by 2050.2 Following the government’s commitment, several pension funds accepted the challenge. In just one year, the number of funds making public net-zero portfolio emission commitments by 2050 or sooner grew from two to nine funds.3 These commitments demonstrate the increased recognition among pension funds of the importance of implementing sustainability measures.

In an effort to reach net-zero emissions, companies are turning to carbon credits. These credits are used to offset emissions and allow the owner to emit a certain amount of carbon dioxide (CO2) or greenhouse gases. The voluntary carbon-offset market is rapidly evolving and is expected to grow to around $250 billion by 2050 from only $2 billion in 2020.4 While these credits are intended to help companies meet their climate goals, it is imperative to ensure the quality and transparency of them in order to achieve genuine emission reductions and to avoid greenwashing. Greenwashing involves making an unsubstantiated claim to deceive consumers into believing that a company’s products are environmentally friendly or have a greater positive environmental impact than they actually do.

ESG Standardization Efforts

Canada is taking meaningful steps toward increased standardization. Canada’s 2022 budget addressed the federal government moving towards mandatory reporting of climate-related financial risks based on the international Task Force on Climate-related Financial Disclosures (TCFD) framework.5 This will require financial institutions to publish climate disclosures that align with the TCFD framework beginning in 2024, using a phased approach. The government will also be moving forward with ESG disclosure requirements for federally regulated pension plans. In addition to these new requirements, the Taxonomy Roadmap Report was developed by the Sustainable Finance Action Council. The report contains ten recommendations that address the merits, design and implementation of a green and transition finance taxonomy for Canada.6 Taxonomies can provide better standardization for benchmarking economic initiatives that align with domestic and global climate goals. A sustainable taxonomy has the potential to significantly improve ESG standardization industry wide.

While the government has recently taken steps toward ESG standardization, this comes about two years after the CEOs of Canada’s eight leading pension plan managers signed a statement emphasizing the importance of a more complete and consistent disclosure on ESG practices from investors and corporations.7 Pension plans have been leading the effort on industry standardization and have released yet another joint statement in June 2023. This time, eleven CEOs of Canada’s largest pension fund investors issued a statement supporting the International Sustainability Standards Board’s (ISSB) new reporting standards.8 The statement suggests companies in which they invest and those seeking their capital should consider these standards as they will become an increasingly important factor when making investment decisions. Additionally, the Canadian Association of Pension Supervisory Authorities (CAPSA) developed their own Guideline for pensions to follow. This Guideline provides guidance around ESG considerations in pension plan management and is intended to support plan administrators who are considering ESG factors that may be financially relevant to their plan’s investments.9

While there is a burgeoning interest in environmental initiatives, social considerations are just as important too. The Canadian Securities Administrators (CSA) recently proposed changes to corporate governance disclosure rules that would increase transparency surrounding diversity on boards and in executive officer positions.10 The proposed changes are intended to provide investors with more detailed information, allowing them to better understand the connection between diversity and an issuer’s strategic decisions.

Clearer Vision

Implementing regulatory standards is likely the most effective way to see real change from a responsible investing standpoint. As the TCFD disclosure framework, taxonomies and CAPSA and CSA guidelines get adopted, pension funds will benefit from having a clearer vision of what securities are a fit for their portfolios and ESG goals. While the depth and scope of future ESG legislation is still to be determined, the continued discussions and emphasis on the topic, along with the growing level of investment, indicate ESG considerations are undoubtedly top of mind for regulators.

ESG and Data Automation

Consistent disclosure on ESG practices by Canadian investors and corporations is a significant improvement, but it will come with further reporting requirements for plan sponsors. Institutions will need data to support their governance and oversight objectives – for example, providing evidence of their ESG scores and exposures and supporting adherence to regulatory requirements and global standards. With no standardization of ESG data or shared industry standards for analysis and reporting, this may seem like a daunting future. Fortunately, digital innovation is transforming the investment landscape and advances in data automation will be key to managing and analyzing ESG data. Next generation analytic tools can help asset owners that manage their own portfolios to complete idea generation, research management, portfolio construction, and risk management. For example, investors can include ESG as an input factor in the decision process and simulate portfolio impact across various metrics. They can perform ESG materiality assessments over time by decomposing the relevant pillars specific to each investment’s industry.

ESG data management is both a challenge and an opportunity for pension funds. As ESG standards continue to evolve, plan sponsors will need fundamental and diligent analysis at every level, including investment processes, compliance practices, organizational design and governance and reporting. With transparency and accountability as the foundations of ESG investing, it is paramount that sponsors demonstrate that their investments are in fact green and not greenwashed. Learning how to put data to work and relying on tools like data science to enable decisions and to communicate those decisions to stakeholders will be key.

Turning to Service Partners for Data Insights

As plan sponsors establish and refine their ESG policies, they will want to seek out service partners with advanced data analytics and reporting capabilities to provide the insight needed to evaluate their portfolios. Service partners should also be able to report how closely a portfolio is complying to a firm’s ESG goals via benchmarking and scoring.

As pension plans continue to drive ESG investing and as the regulatory framework becomes standardized, they will want to be sure to have access to data that meets their needs and the tools to help them maximize their information. Evaluating the right resources and partners to support their investment decisions will help them as the future evolves.

1 Canadian-Pensions-Dashboard-for-Responsible-Investing-2nd-Edition.pdf (corporateknights.com)
2 Net-Zero Emissions by 2050 – Canada.ca
3 Canadian-Pensions-Dashboard-for-Responsible-Investing-2nd-Edition.pdf (corporateknights.com)
4 Carbon Offset Market Trends and Growth: 2050 | Morgan Stanley
5 budget-2022-en.pdf
6 Taxonomy Roadmap Report: Advice and Recommendations (publications.gc.ca)
7 Top Canada Pension Funds Ask for Better ESG Disclosure – Bloomberg
8 Factiva Newsletter
9 1914 (capsa-acor.org)
10 Canadian securities regulators propose changes to corporate governance disclosure practices and guidelines – Canadian Securities Administrators (securities-administrators.ca)

ST. PAUL, Minn., August 2, 2023 /3BL/ – Antea Group is proud to announce our contribution to “Corporate Guide: Accelerating your ESG Transition” published by Environment Analyst.

Organizations of all shapes, sizes and industries must integrate ESG into their business, to secure financial investment, minimize risk and future-proof their long-term success. To help organizations navigate the growing complexities of ESG regulatory disclosure requirements, ever-changing standards and mounting stakeholder pressures, Environment Analyst and other industry experts collaborated to develop this free comprehensive guide.

Written by subject experts with longstanding records of helping businesses and governments measure, report and make progress on ESG goals, the guide includes chapters on:

Addressing the scope three challengeThe importance of credible stretch targetsPreparing for TNFD and nature-based reportingLegislative risk monitorSupercharging the ‘S’ in ESG to support a just and equitable transitionMoving to meaningful progress in ESG impactIntegrating and operationalizing your net zero strategy

Antea Group authored the “Legislative Risk Monitor” chapter, offering an overview of recent and upcoming legislative changes, such as the EU Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive (CSRD), EU Corporate Sustainability Due Diligence Directive (CSDD), German Supply Chain Due Diligence Act (LkSG), and the US Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) Proposed Rule to Enhance and Standardize Climate-Related Disclosures.

Download the Guide Here

About Environment Analyst 

Environment Analyst is an international membership community for the environmental services space, built around their market intelligence service. Their analysts help customers examine market opportunities in the environmental sector. They bring together business leaders and practitioners in peer-to-peer networks and share news and insight with member companies.

Their mission is to connect the environmental, ESG and professional services community, and provide the intelligence to deliver a sustainable transition. They aim to be the leading global partner supporting the environmental, sustainability & ESG community in its ambition to shape a better future.

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.

FOSTER CITY, Calif., August 2, 2023 /3BL/ – Gilead Sciences Inc. (Nasdaq: GILD) announced its largest commitment to health equity for Australian and Canadian Indigenous communities. The initiative will support programs addressing societal barriers to care that persistently contribute to the transmission of HIV and viral hepatitis within Indigenous communities.

Gilead is in discussions with two Indigenous-led organizations, the Lowitja Institute in Australia and CAAN Communities, Alliances & Networks in Canada, to create the new $6 million USD grant program, with funding divided equally between the two countries and invested over three years. The grant program will provide financial support to frontline organizations and initiatives.

This program is a targeted effort to help address the disparities in health outcomes impacting Indigenous communities, resulting from the ongoing effects of colonialization in each country. In comparison to non-Indigenous people in each country, Indigenous Peoples in Australia and Canada experience a higher incidence of HIV and viral hepatitis infections and increased barriers to diagnosis and treatment.i, ii

“We recognize that the Indigenous communities in both Australia and Canada have unique healthcare needs,” said Alex Kalomparis, Senior Vice President, Public Affairs, Gilead Sciences. “Gilead’s new funding program will help promote engagement in HIV and viral hepatitis care by supporting culturally appropriate solutions that address these needs, while enabling Indigenous people to continue advocating for the care of their communities.”

By listening to and working with Indigenous-led organizations, Gilead believes this commitment can translate to meaningful support of innovative and culturally appropriate projects that address the disproportionate rate of HIV and viral hepatitis in Indigenous communities.

Gilead’s funding commitment underscores the company’s unique efforts to increase health equity and help end the HIV epidemic globally through robust community partnerships and philanthropy. In 2022 alone, the Gilead Foundation and Gilead Corporate Giving donated a combined nearly $300 million globally. Other corporate giving programs include Zeroing In® the Gilead COMPASS Initiative® and RADIAN®.

More information on the program will be announced in the coming weeks in both Australia and Canada.

About Gilead Sciences

Gilead Sciences, Inc. is a biopharmaceutical company that has pursued and achieved breakthroughs in medicine for more than three decades, with the goal of creating a healthier world for all people. The company is committed to advancing innovative medicines to prevent and treat life-threatening diseases, including HIV, viral hepatitis, COVID-19 and cancer. Gilead operates in more than 35 countries worldwide, with headquarters in Foster City, California.

About Lowitja Institute

Lowitja Institute is Australia’s only national Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander community-controlled health research institute named in honor of its Patron, Dr Lowitja O’Donoghue AC CBE DSG. It is an Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander community-controlled organization working for the health and wellbeing of Australia’s First Peoples through high impact quality research, knowledge exchange, and by supporting a new generation of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health researchers. For more information, visit https://www.lowitja.org.au/.

About CAAN

CAAN is a national, Indigenous organization who is leading the response to HIV and AIDS through empowerment, education and community. CAAN provides a forum for Indigenous peoples across Canada to (w)holistically address health issues, with a particular focus on HIV, hepatitis C (HCV), sexually transmitted blood-borne infections (STBBIs), and tuberculosis (TB). CAAN produces culturally relevant resources to assist and empower Indigenous peoples in preventing infectious disease through Indigenous Ways of Knowing and Doing (IWKD); respecting the diverse Indigenous peoples of our lands, acknowledging differences and accentuating unity and strength in a spirit of wholeness, healing, and cultural safety. For more information, visit https://caan.ca/.

Gilead, the Gilead logo and the Creating Possible tagline are registered trademarks of Gilead Sciences, Inc., or its related companies.

For more information about Gilead, please visit the company’s website at www.gilead.com, follow Gilead on Twitter (@Gilead Sciences) or call Gilead Public Affairs at 1-800-GILEAD-5 or 1-650-574-3000.

i Ward et al. 2021. HIV infection in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people. HIV Management in Australasia a guide to clinical care. ASHM. Available at: https://hivmanagement.ashm.org.au/hiv-infection-in-aboriginal-and-torres-strait-islander-people/ Accessed June 2023 
ii CAAN. 2018. Documenting Lessons Learned and Measuring Progress Towards Global HIV, Tuberculosis, Viral Hepatitis, and Sexually Transmitted Infection Targets in Indigenous Communities.

Originally published by Gilead Sciences