Tag: 3BL

As organizations navigate evolving expectations, audit readiness, and operational risk, food safety leaders are looking for practical ways to strengthen systems and drive consistent execution across teams.

This summer, SCS Global Services is offering a complimentary three‑part webinar series focused on strengthening food safety performance, with sessions addressing key drivers of effective programs—change management, environmental monitoring, and sanitation culture.

The series is designed to provide practical, real‑world insights that support stronger day‑to‑day execution across food safety and quality systems.

Webinars in the Series include:

Driving Food Safety Results through Effective Change Management

Tuesday, May 19, 2026, at 9 AM PT (12 PM ET)

Sustainable food safety programs are more than new procedures—they require effective change management. This session explores what change management is, why it is critical to food safety and quality systems, and how it drives consistent, meaningful outcomes across an organization. The webinar highlights the role of clear, consistent communication—from senior leadership to frontline employees—and provides practical strategies to reduce execution gaps that can lead to audit nonconformances, recalls, and other significant food safety events.

Register Here

Developing a Risk-Based and Effective Environmental Monitoring Program (EMP)

Tuesday, June 23, 2026, at 9 AM PT (12 PM ET)

An effective Environmental Monitoring Program is more than a sampling plan—it is a critical risk management tool. This webinar focuses on understanding risks associated with food, people, and processing environments and translating that knowledge into a targeted, actionable EMP. Participants will learn how to design and implement an EMP that supports decision‑making and consumer protection, while avoiding common practices that contribute to program failure.

Register Here

Creating a Culture of Sanitation from Compliance to Commitment

Tuesday, July 21, 2026, at 9 AM PT (12 PM ET)

The final session in the series focuses on one of the most critical—and often misunderstood drivers of food safety performance: sanitation culture. Designed for FSQA leaders and senior management, this webinar examines why sanitation failures are often cultural rather than technical and how clearly defined behaviors, expectations, and reinforcement shape consistent performance.

Register Here

View the full webinar series and register

For inquiries, contact:

Shyama Devarajan 
Senior Marketing Analyst, SCS Global Services 
sdevarajan@scsglobalservices.com

by Vicki Hyman
Director, Global Communications, Mastercard

“Plans of action, not empty platitudes.” That’s how Shamina Singh, the founder and president of the Mastercard Center for Inclusive Growth, opened Wednesday’s Global Inclusive Growth Forum in Washington, D.C., and it became an unofficial through-line.

From small business resilience to the promise (and risks) of AI and digital assets, speakers returned to the same practical questions: What does inclusion look like at scale, who gets left out when innovation moves fast, and how do we develop the policies and partnerships needed to expand opportunity for families, entrepreneurs and markets rather than deepen divides?

One path, announced by Singh and Antonio Silveira of CAF Development Bank of Latin America and the Caribbean at the close of the summit: increasing access to credit in Latin America for the micro, small and medium-sized businesses that comprise more than 99.5% of enterprises in the region and employ about 60% of people in the formal economy there. Mastercard is partnering with CAF to mobilize $100 million in CAF financing over four years, with a focus on women-led and underserved businesses and climate finance. It’s a significant step toward the company’s recently-announced commitment to connect and protect 500 million people and small businesses on the path to financial health, Singh said.

Across the standing-room-only forum, held on the sidelines of the World Bank Spring Meetings, the talk often snapped back to one message: Durable growth has to be built for the people and small firms who feel volatility first — and it has to be powered by technology we can trust. Here are three takeaways.

For small businesses today, it’s not how to grow but how fast — or perhaps, how slow.

Small business owners aren’t chasing explosive growth so much as steady, dependable progress, said Tim Ogden, managing director of the Financial Access Initiative at NYU Wagner. They want to keep their doors open, pay their workers and support their families and communities without risking everything, he said in a session drawing on his insights from Small Firm Diaries, a research initiative using financial diaries to understand how small business owners manage cash flow, costs and uncertainty. They want simpler, more flexible financial products and practical tools to help them manage day-to-day cash flow, he said. “They don’t need to go 60 miles an hour,” he said. “What they’re doing is trying to survive and at least stay in place.”

Intentionality of growth surfaced again in a session with two artisan entrepreneurs and Rebecca Van Bergen, the founder and executive of Nest, a global nonprofit that supports artisans by promoting fair labor practices, providing training and market access, and helping handmade businesses grow sustainably. Elias Morr, the Maryland candlemaker who with his wife runs Peacesake Candles & Co, and Morgan Buckert, a custom bootmaker based in Idaho and Texas, spoke about prioritizing the quality of their products, their own mental health and their legacy over scale.

For entrepreneurs, growth has always been viewed as the default setting, said Morr: “You get that big order, you take it, you don’t ask questions … So we did get these big retail orders, and it was extremely stressful for us. Something we learned the hard way is just focusing on growth, taking all that money and making these sales sometimes can break your business.”

That’s a more recent shift, Van Bergen said. “People just thought that supporting makers meant placing a huge order and not coming behind them and supporting them. And we’re seeing so many creative models, from pop-ups to licensing to a whole host of ways you can support small business without overwhelming them.”

AI’s promise for inclusion and financial health is not automatic — but it can be unlocked.

The developed world may be awash in AI anxiety, but panelists at a discussion on how AI could transform developing markets were far more bullish (with a few caveats).

Without building local infrastructure, technical capacity and proper governance, AI can be extractive, gathering local data but creating value elsewhere, said Vilas Dhar, president of the Patrick J. McGovern Foundation, a philanthropy that develops AI and data science for good.

How to flip the script? Right-sizing models that can run on low-cost devices and connect to users through text messages can reach more people and reduce risk, said Olubayo Adekanmbi, the CEO and co-founder of the African startup EqualyzAI, which works with thousands of data collector and hundreds of language experts to develop Small Language Models to open up AI opportunities in local languages in sectors including health care, agriculture and education.

“The biggest problem we have is that the foundational layer is very thin, which seems to want to build, you know, a penthouse on a sandcastle. The foundation is missing,” Adekanmbi said about the data currently available to create these local models. “But are we going to give up on that? Never.”

At another session on AI and financial health, panelists positioned the tech as a way to lower the cost of banking services and personalize guidance that otherwise would have been prohibitively expensive to scale. But speakers also warned against plug-and-play AI: Deployment requires governance, guardrails and investment in the underlying infrastructure.

The next leap in inclusion won’t come from a single product or technology, but from payment systems that can connect and work together across borders.

When payment systems don’t connect seamlessly, we all pay the price in time and uncertainty. “How useful would your email be if you couldn’t send an email from one domain to the next?” said Dante Disparte, chief strategy officer and head of Global Policy and Operations at the stablecoin giant Circle. “That is just the operating reality of what we’re talking about.”

Digital assets hold the potential to become a shared financial infrastructure that could be incredibly empowering, particularly for small businesses, but he also stressed “payment systems optionality,” saying progress should be defined by expanding choice and resilience, not forcing everyone into a single channel.

Making interoperability work also means designing for real constraints, including providing affordable services and simple user experiences, said Sabine Mensah, deputy CEO of the AfricaNenda Foundation, which helps governments, economic development organizations and the private sector plan for instant, inclusive payment systems. And the hardest part, she argued, isn’t the technology. It’s aligning the rules across markets.

Moderator Jesse McWaters, Mastercard’s head of Global Policy, agreed, pointing to the difficulties in harmonizing regulations in the G20 roadmap for improving cross-border transactions. “If we can’t get that data layer better aligned, then we’re still going to be dealing with frictions no matter what technology we’re going to be using,” he said. When we get regulators on board, he said, “these types of inclusive innovations will really have the opportunity to grow.”

Continue reading here

Follow along Mastercard’s journey to connect and power an inclusive, digital economy that benefits everyone, everywhere.

by Vicki Hyman
Director, Global Communications, Mastercard

“Plans of action, not empty platitudes.” That’s how Shamina Singh, the founder and president of the Mastercard Center for Inclusive Growth, opened Wednesday’s Global Inclusive Growth Forum in Washington, D.C., and it became an unofficial through-line.

From small business resilience to the promise (and risks) of AI and digital assets, speakers returned to the same practical questions: What does inclusion look like at scale, who gets left out when innovation moves fast, and how do we develop the policies and partnerships needed to expand opportunity for families, entrepreneurs and markets rather than deepen divides?

One path, announced by Singh and Antonio Silveira of CAF Development Bank of Latin America and the Caribbean at the close of the summit: increasing access to credit in Latin America for the micro, small and medium-sized businesses that comprise more than 99.5% of enterprises in the region and employ about 60% of people in the formal economy there. Mastercard is partnering with CAF to mobilize $100 million in CAF financing over four years, with a focus on women-led and underserved businesses and climate finance. It’s a significant step toward the company’s recently-announced commitment to connect and protect 500 million people and small businesses on the path to financial health, Singh said.

Across the standing-room-only forum, held on the sidelines of the World Bank Spring Meetings, the talk often snapped back to one message: Durable growth has to be built for the people and small firms who feel volatility first — and it has to be powered by technology we can trust. Here are three takeaways.

For small businesses today, it’s not how to grow but how fast — or perhaps, how slow.

Small business owners aren’t chasing explosive growth so much as steady, dependable progress, said Tim Ogden, managing director of the Financial Access Initiative at NYU Wagner. They want to keep their doors open, pay their workers and support their families and communities without risking everything, he said in a session drawing on his insights from Small Firm Diaries, a research initiative using financial diaries to understand how small business owners manage cash flow, costs and uncertainty. They want simpler, more flexible financial products and practical tools to help them manage day-to-day cash flow, he said. “They don’t need to go 60 miles an hour,” he said. “What they’re doing is trying to survive and at least stay in place.”

Intentionality of growth surfaced again in a session with two artisan entrepreneurs and Rebecca Van Bergen, the founder and executive of Nest, a global nonprofit that supports artisans by promoting fair labor practices, providing training and market access, and helping handmade businesses grow sustainably. Elias Morr, the Maryland candlemaker who with his wife runs Peacesake Candles & Co, and Morgan Buckert, a custom bootmaker based in Idaho and Texas, spoke about prioritizing the quality of their products, their own mental health and their legacy over scale.

For entrepreneurs, growth has always been viewed as the default setting, said Morr: “You get that big order, you take it, you don’t ask questions … So we did get these big retail orders, and it was extremely stressful for us. Something we learned the hard way is just focusing on growth, taking all that money and making these sales sometimes can break your business.”

That’s a more recent shift, Van Bergen said. “People just thought that supporting makers meant placing a huge order and not coming behind them and supporting them. And we’re seeing so many creative models, from pop-ups to licensing to a whole host of ways you can support small business without overwhelming them.”

AI’s promise for inclusion and financial health is not automatic — but it can be unlocked.

The developed world may be awash in AI anxiety, but panelists at a discussion on how AI could transform developing markets were far more bullish (with a few caveats).

Without building local infrastructure, technical capacity and proper governance, AI can be extractive, gathering local data but creating value elsewhere, said Vilas Dhar, president of the Patrick J. McGovern Foundation, a philanthropy that develops AI and data science for good.

How to flip the script? Right-sizing models that can run on low-cost devices and connect to users through text messages can reach more people and reduce risk, said Olubayo Adekanmbi, the CEO and co-founder of the African startup EqualyzAI, which works with thousands of data collector and hundreds of language experts to develop Small Language Models to open up AI opportunities in local languages in sectors including health care, agriculture and education.

“The biggest problem we have is that the foundational layer is very thin, which seems to want to build, you know, a penthouse on a sandcastle. The foundation is missing,” Adekanmbi said about the data currently available to create these local models. “But are we going to give up on that? Never.”

At another session on AI and financial health, panelists positioned the tech as a way to lower the cost of banking services and personalize guidance that otherwise would have been prohibitively expensive to scale. But speakers also warned against plug-and-play AI: Deployment requires governance, guardrails and investment in the underlying infrastructure.

The next leap in inclusion won’t come from a single product or technology, but from payment systems that can connect and work together across borders.

When payment systems don’t connect seamlessly, we all pay the price in time and uncertainty. “How useful would your email be if you couldn’t send an email from one domain to the next?” said Dante Disparte, chief strategy officer and head of Global Policy and Operations at the stablecoin giant Circle. “That is just the operating reality of what we’re talking about.”

Digital assets hold the potential to become a shared financial infrastructure that could be incredibly empowering, particularly for small businesses, but he also stressed “payment systems optionality,” saying progress should be defined by expanding choice and resilience, not forcing everyone into a single channel.

Making interoperability work also means designing for real constraints, including providing affordable services and simple user experiences, said Sabine Mensah, deputy CEO of the AfricaNenda Foundation, which helps governments, economic development organizations and the private sector plan for instant, inclusive payment systems. And the hardest part, she argued, isn’t the technology. It’s aligning the rules across markets.

Moderator Jesse McWaters, Mastercard’s head of Global Policy, agreed, pointing to the difficulties in harmonizing regulations in the G20 roadmap for improving cross-border transactions. “If we can’t get that data layer better aligned, then we’re still going to be dealing with frictions no matter what technology we’re going to be using,” he said. When we get regulators on board, he said, “these types of inclusive innovations will really have the opportunity to grow.”

Continue reading here

Follow along Mastercard’s journey to connect and power an inclusive, digital economy that benefits everyone, everywhere.

LEEDS, England, May 6, 2026 /3BL/ – Antea Group UK is pleased to welcome Andrew Sweetman as Practice Director of Mergers & Acquisition within our Transaction Support practice.

Andrew brings 20 years of experience delivering EHS and ESG due diligence for M&A in the UK and overseas across a broad range of sectors. Andrew’s expertise focusses on the identification of material EHS and ESG risks, liabilities, and opportunities in the context of a transaction. These engagements often involved tight timelines, multi-asset portfolios, and cross-border considerations.

In his role as Service Line Director, Andrew will lead the continued strategic development of Antea Group UK’s M&A service line. He will work closely with transaction advisers, investors, and Antea Group’s technical specialists to deliver commercially focussed advice to clients navigating complex transactions.

“I’m excited to take on this role at Antea Group UK and to continue developing our environmental and ESG due diligence services,” said Andrew. “There is a clear opportunity to support clients with more integrated, commercially focused insight as environmental and ESG considerations become increasingly central to transactions.”

“Andrew’s experience and leadership in environmental and ESG due diligence is a strong addition to our team,” said Graham Duffield, Practice Director, Transaction Support. “He brings a deep understanding of how environmental and sustainability risks translate into real business and transaction impacts. His ability to provide clear, actionable insight will be invaluable to our clients.”

About Antea Group UK 

Antea® Group is an environment, health, safety, and sustainability consultancy. 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 organisations to better understand threats, capture opportunities and find their position of strength. We maintain a global perspective on ESG issues through not only our work with multinational clients, but also through our sister organisations in Europe, Asia, and Latin America and as a founding member of the Inogen Alliance.   

LEEDS, England, May 6, 2026 /3BL/ – Antea Group UK is pleased to welcome Andrew Sweetman as Practice Director of Mergers & Acquisition within our Transaction Support practice.

Andrew brings 20 years of experience delivering EHS and ESG due diligence for M&A in the UK and overseas across a broad range of sectors. Andrew’s expertise focusses on the identification of material EHS and ESG risks, liabilities, and opportunities in the context of a transaction. These engagements often involved tight timelines, multi-asset portfolios, and cross-border considerations.

In his role as Service Line Director, Andrew will lead the continued strategic development of Antea Group UK’s M&A service line. He will work closely with transaction advisers, investors, and Antea Group’s technical specialists to deliver commercially focussed advice to clients navigating complex transactions.

“I’m excited to take on this role at Antea Group UK and to continue developing our environmental and ESG due diligence services,” said Andrew. “There is a clear opportunity to support clients with more integrated, commercially focused insight as environmental and ESG considerations become increasingly central to transactions.”

“Andrew’s experience and leadership in environmental and ESG due diligence is a strong addition to our team,” said Graham Duffield, Practice Director, Transaction Support. “He brings a deep understanding of how environmental and sustainability risks translate into real business and transaction impacts. His ability to provide clear, actionable insight will be invaluable to our clients.”

About Antea Group UK 

Antea® Group is an environment, health, safety, and sustainability consultancy. 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 organisations to better understand threats, capture opportunities and find their position of strength. We maintain a global perspective on ESG issues through not only our work with multinational clients, but also through our sister organisations in Europe, Asia, and Latin America and as a founding member of the Inogen Alliance.   

Behind every advanced system we design, manufacture, install and service are the people who make it work. And behind those people is a culture of training and mentorship that ensures valuable knowledge is passed forward. That commitment is at the heart of our new Advanced Technology Training Center (ATTC) in Davidson, North Carolina — the world’s largest and most advanced facility of its kind dedicated to the training and development of HVAC service and control technicians.

The world’s most advanced HVAC technology training center

Through the ATTC, apprentices from our Technician Apprenticeship Program, early career, and experienced service and control technicians, will learn on a wide range of systems, including the latest in HVAC technology, digital controls and building intelligence systems, gaining hands-on experience that mirrors the very real and complex environments they serve — from hospitals and schools, to data centers and office towers.

Spanning 45,000 square feet, the new center can accomodate 4,500 students and deliver over 100,000 hours of training annually. It expands on our current training centers in La Crosse, WI, and White Bear Lake, MN, and more than doubles the number of technicians we can train each year.

Closing the skilled labor gap

With the largest HVAC services footprint in our industry and continuous growth and expansion in our HVAC business, this investment comes at an important time. A large percentage of skilled workers are expected to retire within the next decade, even as demand for HVAC technicians in the US is projected to grow 8% over the next ten years (faster than the average for all other occupations). With more than 40,000 job openings each year, the need for training and upskilling has never been greater.

Our expanded training capabilities aims to help close the talent gap by providing unparalleled education and hands-on experience, strengthening the pipeline of highly skilled HVAC experts.

As the industry and world advance into a new digital era, so do our learnings paths, with digital control training programs and continuously evolving learning pathways for advanced AI-enabled control and service tools. With an eye toward the high-tech future, we’ve also built dedicated training for mission critical service needs, including Data Centers, ensuring our team members can thrive in these highly-specialized spaces and deliver energy and resource optimization capabilities for all our customers.

“Experience isn’t just counted on a calendar. It’s something we carry forward.”

Holly Paeper
President, Commercial HVAC Americas, Trane Technologies

Passing on generations of experience

The ATTC represents our continued investment and commitment to our teams, and our customers, ensuring that our deep bench of technical expertise flows outward, strengthening our communities and our industry.

Serving the ATTC center in Davidson are instructors and training leaders who bring more than 300 years of collective industry expertise. Their careers span decades of technological change, and their role now is to ensure current and future generations of technicians inherit the technical knowledge, problem-solving instincts, customer focus and leadership that define the Trane Technologies’ service legacy.

Robert Collins is one of the experienced trainers. Beginning his career as a Trane apprentice in 1992, Robert worked his way up to a team leader role, where he chose to stay and mentor younger techs in the field for a few decades before officially becoming a fully dedicated technical trainer in the ATTC. For him, the most valuable lessons aren’t just about equipment, but about people — listening, encouraging and helping others grow.

More knowledge, greater innovation

This culture of learning from one another runs deep at Trane Technologies. Many of our longest-serving technicians can trace their careers through one another, connected by years of mentorship, encouragement and support – speaking to the fact that careers at Trane Technologies are rarely built alone. They’re formed through colleagues who become mentors, mentors who become friends and friendships that last lifetimes; reminding us that experience isn’t just counted on a calendar. It’s something we carry forward.

That’s what makes this training center and approach special. It embodies what has always set Trane Technologies apart: the belief that systems are only as strong as the people behind them, and people are only as strong as the knowledge they share.

By investing in a state-of-the-art space where our technicians’ valuable collective expertise can be passed on, we’re ensuring that the next generation of technicians won’t just keep world running, they’ll keep pushing it forward, together.

The future is ours to create. Explore technician roles at Trane Technologies.

BOSTON, May 6, 2026 /3BL/ – Sappi North America has earned an EcoVadis Platinum rating, becoming the only paper and packaging manufacturer whose North American operations have reached this top-tier distinction six times. The recognition places Sappi among the top 1% of companies assessed by the global business sustainability ratings provider. The 2026 result is notable because EcoVadis tightened its criteria this cycle, raising the threshold for Platinum across the board.

“This recognition belongs to the teams across our mills, supply chain, and offices who treat sustainability as part of the daily work, not a separate program,” said Sean Wallace, VP of Sustainability, Research, and Development at Sappi North America. “It shows up in how we approach safety, energy use, sourcing, and our relationships with suppliers and communities.”

The Platinum rating joins other recent third-party recognition of Sappi’s sustainability work. In March, Sappi North America received the Climate Performance Award from ClimateWork Maine for its Maine operations. At the global level, parent company Sappi Limited also earned a place on the CDP Forests A List for 2025, alongside strong scores in Climate Change (A-) and Water Security (B).

EcoVadis evaluates companies across four themes: Environment, Labor and Human Rights, Ethics, and Sustainable Procurement. Sappi North America’s results are backed by tangible work in each area. About 78% of SNA’s energy comes from renewable and clean sources, contributing to Sappi’s Science Based Targets initiative-approved goal of reducing Scope 1 and 2 emissions 41.5% per ton of product by 2030 against a 2019 baseline. On Sustainable Procurement, 82% of SNA’s eligible spend is now covered by suppliers who have signed compliance with Sappi’s Supplier Code of Conduct.

EcoVadis provides an evidence-based view of a company’s sustainability management system. More than 130,000 companies across 200 industries and 175 countries have been assessed through the platform.

###

About Sappi North America, Inc.

Headquartered in Boston, MA, Sappi North America is part of a global pulp, paper, and packaging company that transforms wood-fiber into sustainable alternatives to plastics and fossil fuel-based products. From cosmetics packaging and food-safe barrier papers to dissolving wood pulp used in textiles, our solutions support a circular economy worldwide.

Employing approximately 2,200 people across facilities in Maine, Minnesota, and Quebec, Sappi North America combines deep manufacturing expertise with a commitment to responsible forestry. Recognized with an elite EcoVadis Platinum rating for seven consecutive years and CDP scores of A in Forests, A- in Climate Change, and B in Water Security, we back our sustainability claims with data.

Sappi North America is a subsidiary of Sappi Limited (JSE), a global company headquartered in Johannesburg, South Africa, with more than 12,000 employees and manufacturing operations on three continents across seven countries, and customers in over 150 countries. To learn more, visit www.sappi.com.

Contact:

April Jones

Sr. Corporate Communications Manager, Sappi North America
april.jones@sappi.com
617.398.0691

ATLANTA, May 6, 2026 /3BL/ – Georgia-Pacific announced that effective immediately, John Mulcahy, vice president of stewardship for Georgia-Pacific, will assume the role of senior vice president of communications, public affairs and stewardship.

After 38 years of contributions to the company, Sheila Weidman, senior vice president of communications, government and public affairs, has decided to retire effective June 5. Over her career, Sheila embraced a series of leadership roles with increasing scope and impact, ultimately serving on Georgia-Pacific’s executive leadership team for more than two decades.

John joined Georgia-Pacific in 1987 and most recently served as vice president of stewardship, where he worked with GP’s business units and capability groups to develop and implement sustainability strategies, directed the company’s sustainable forestry practices, and helped drive overall sustainability improvement. Prior to that role, he held stewardship, category management, strategy, and supply chain roles in both the Consumer Products and Packaging & Cellulose businesses. In his new role, John will lead the capability as Georgia-Pacific heads into its second century.

With this leadership change, David Brabham will become the vice president of Georgia-Pacific’s stewardship capability. Prior to this role, David served as senior director of customer engagement and stewardship for the company’s cellulose, containerboard, recycling and pine solutions businesses. He returns to the GP stewardship capability after spending more than a decade in various forestry and sustainability roles with the company, focused on responsible resource management, policy and stewardship strategy.

About Georgia-Pacific 
Based in Atlanta, Georgia-Pacific and its subsidiaries are among the world’s leading manufacturers and marketers of bath tissue, paper towels and napkins, tableware, paper-based packaging, cellulose and building products. Our familiar consumer brands include Angel Soft®, Brawny®, Dixie®, enMotion®, Quilted Northern®, Sparkle® and Vanity Fair®. Georgia-Pacific has long been a leading supplier of building products to lumber and building materials dealers and large do-it-yourself warehouse retailers. Its Georgia-Pacific Recycling subsidiary is among the world’s largest traders of paper, metal and plastics. The company operates more than 150 facilities and employs approximately 30,000 people directly and creates more than 80,000 jobs indirectly. For more information, visit: gp.com/about-us. For news, visit: news.gp.com. Follow Georgia-Pacific on LinkedIn, Meta, Instagram, X and YouTube.

SOURCE Georgia-Pacific

View original content here.

SLB received two 2026 Offshore Technology Conference (OTC) Spotlight on New Technology Awards, recognizing innovations that are helping reshape the offshore energy sector.

Each year, the OTC Spotlight on New Technology Awards honor breakthrough solutions that demonstrate real‑world performance and impact across drilling, completions, subsea systems, AI, and more. Winning technologies are evaluated on uniqueness, proven success, commercial viability, and their ability to deliver meaningful value to the offshore industry.

This year, two SLB technologies were selected as 2026 award recipients:

Retina™ at-bit imaging system 
The Retina at-bit imaging system redefines formation evaluation by delivering high-resolution, complete borehole images directly at the drill bit. Integrated into PDC drill bits, it captures pristine formation detail before drilling impact, enabling confident decisions, optimized well placement, and expanded subsurface understanding — without impacting drilling performance or efficiency.

“Retina provides an unparalleled view of the formation and its characteristics downhole, enabling better-informed decisions from the start,” said Cecilia Prieto, president, Well Construction, SLB. “This leading-edge technology marks a significant advancement in borehole imaging, providing drillers with critical insight in situations where it was previously impossible. With imaging at the bit, before the formation is affected by drilling fluids, the exceptional resolution unlocks new opportunities around drilling, fluid management, and completions, leading to significant risk reduction and production optimization.”

FIV-III™ dual-trigger formation isolation valve 
The SLB FIV-III dual-trigger formation isolation valve, equipped with eTrigger™ IV electronic activation, delivers steadfast redundancy for well control in demanding environments. Its remote operation, robust sealing, extended suspension capability, and adaptive activation ensure offshore operations enhanced safety, efficiency, and compliance, setting a new benchmark in reliability and operational performance.

At OTC 2026, SLB experts are also sharing insights across a wide range of technical paper sessions, covering key challenges and innovations shaping the future of offshore energy.

Learn more about SLB technology and innovation here.

View original content here.

Now in its fifth year since its 2021 launch, the Excellence Awards continue to spotlight some of the most impactful work across Covia. With over 100 nominations submitted from Covia’s various locations and departments, the selection process reflected an outstanding pool of candidates and the high level of performance in 2025. Ten awards were presented in total, which is an increase from previous years, including the introduction of a new category. Covia introduced the Mission Impact Award to recognize a nominee whose contributions exemplify our values and directly advance the mission.

The 2025 Covia Excellence Award winners are:

• President’s Safety Award (Large Plant) – Ahuazotepec Plant (Mexico)
• President’s Safety Award (Small Plant) – Tamms Plant (Illinois)
• Plant of the Year – Portage Plant (Wisconsin)
• Leaf Environmental Award – Emmett Plant (Idaho)
• Team Impact Award – Ashleigh Snyder, Customer Service Supervisor
• Support Impact Award – Chase Charron, Business Process Specialist
• Operations Impact Award – Wlices Ramos, Operations Director
• Commercial Impact Award – Jonathan Cockrell, Senior Sales Manager
• Mission Impact Award – Steve Schilling, Director Technology & Application Development
• Volunteer of the Year – David Gatto, Operator

President’s Safety Awards

The President’s Safety Award is presented to Covia facilities that demonstrate the highest level of safety performance across a rigorous set of criteria, reflecting our unwavering commitment to keeping people safe. The award recognizes excellence across key metrics including recordable and lost-time incidents, self‑assessment actions, exposure monitoring, incident investigations, and near‑miss reporting. With zero always the goal, only sites achieving an exceptionally high, and nearly perfect, safety record are eligible. This year, Covia introduced separate award categories for small and large plants to better reflect the differing operational challenges, while maintaining the same uncompromising safety expectations for all facilities.

President’s Safety Award (Small Plant)

The Tamms Plant (Illinois) received the President’s Safety Award for a Small Plant. The Tamms team not only met the strict qualifying criteria but also distinguished itself by completing more than 250 days of Soter wearable monitoring. By wearing the monitoring, participants reduced their risk of injury,, achieving an average spine hazard improvement of more than 20%. The site completed three of four MSHA inspections with zero citations, reported no dust exposure exceeding internal occupational limits, and continued to reliably and effectively serve customer needs.

President’s Safety Award (Large Plant)

The Large Plant President’s Safety Award was presented to the Ahuazotepec Plant (Mexico), marking the third consecutive year of perfect safety performance. The plant has also earned Plant of the Year honors in each of the past two years. In addition to meeting all qualifying criteria, the Ahuazotepec team corrected 376 identified hazards, reported nearly 40 near misses, completed over 2,000 safety behavior interactions, and conducted 24 safety and health committee tours, identifying over 240 unsafe conditions. The site logged over 7,700 hours of safety training and nearly 300 hours of fire training for 35 members. It also became “Safe Company” certified for self-management of safety, setting a powerful example of what sustained safety excellence looks like.

Plant of the Year

The Covia Plant of the Year award recognizes excellence in safety, manufacturing performance, environmental stewardship, and community engagement. It is presented to a facility that meets all safety and environmental KPIs while demonstrating exceptional operational results, including achieving cost-per-ton performance at or below budget and maintaining zero plant-controllable customer complaints.

Covia is proud to name the Portage Plant (Wisconsin) as the 2025 Plant of the Year. Portage stands out not only because the team met these demanding standards, but also because of how they did so. Despite being one of Covia’s smaller, older facilities with limited capital investment, Portage achieved remarkable results through focused leadership, creativity, and persistence. The team deepened its understanding of customers, implemented innovative scheduling and workforce adjustments in response to volume changes, and optimized operations to reduce electricity costs. These efforts dramatically improved the plant’s cost profile and reflected a strong growth mindset across the organization. Thanks to the team’s determination to continually improve and make the most of every opportunity, Portage had a fantastic year and exemplified well-rounded excellence.

Leaf Award for Environmental Excellence

The Environmental Leaf Award recognizes a Covia facility that demonstrates an extraordinary commitment to environmental compliance and impactful environmental and community projects. The Emmett Plant (Idaho) was selected for this honor in 2025 based on its significant positive environmental impact and strong alignment with Covia’s environmental goals. The Emmett plant distinguished itself in every area. Highlights include completing 99% of Cority compliance activities on time, proactively managing environmental projects, earning Gold Certification through the Wildlife Habitat Council for its award-winning conservation program, and engaging the local community through school field trips, bird banding efforts, and supporting at-risk populations. The plant also reported zero spills and celebrated an exceptional milestone: 30 years of safe operations. These accomplishments exemplify environmental excellence and responsible stewardship, making the Emmett plant the 2025 Environmental Leaf Award winner.

Impact Awards

Operations Impact Award

By nature, plant operations are complex, requiring strong coordination across teams, disciplines, and priorities to deliver results. While Covia recognizes this through awards at the plant level for safety, environmental performance, and Plant of the Year, there are also individuals whose leadership and dedication create a meaningful operational impact.

Covia is proud to present the Operations Impact Award to Wlices Ramos, Operations Director at the Canoitas, Mexico Plant. Through multiple independent nominations, Wlices was consistently recognized for driving a significant operational transformation at Covia’s largest plant in Mexico, achieving substantial improvements in safety, cost, quality, service, and culture. Through strong leadership, employee empowerment, a zero-incident mindset, and strong financial, customer, and quality results, Wlices embraces Covia’s values and is making a lasting, positive impact on operations.

Commercial Impact Award

The Commercial Impact Award recognizes individuals who exemplify leadership and professionalism in all areas of commercial excellence. For 2025, Covia is proud to honor Jonathan Cockrell with this distinction. A senior sales manager, Jon was nominated by colleagues from Sales, Operations, and Logistics, reflecting his highly collaborative, cross-functional approach. He is known for operating beyond his formal role and has driven significant revenue, margin, and volume growth through major renewals and long-term contracts, as well as his involvement in the opening of Covia’s Innovation Center. Jon has not only generated tens of millions of dollars in annual revenue but has also successfully navigated complex customer transitions and negotiations while demonstrating strong commercial judgment and a commitment to winning business the right way.

Support Impact Award

The Support Impact Award recognizes individuals whose contributions to critical processes often occur behind the scenes. Covia is pleased to recognize Chase Charron, Business Process Specialist, for his support of IFS functions for the Operations team in 2025. Chase led the successful implementation of the Shipment Management Portal (SMP) at the Marston, North Carolina Plant, whi`ch is Covia’s largest shipping location in the Performance Materials market. He executed a seamless rollout in their 24/7 operating environment, allowing for real-time shipment visibility and near-instant customer invoicing. Chase has also supported multiple plants with SMP deployments and other IFS initiatives, earning consistent recognition as a collaborative, hands-on expert who adapts quickly, solves complex challenges, and demonstrates a strong growth mindset that helps drive lasting success.

Team Impact Award

The Team Impact Award evolved from the Prism Award to better align with Covia’s values by recognizing individuals whose results are driven by collaboration and strong team leadership. Covia is proud to recognize Ashleigh Snyder, Customer Service Supervisor, for her ability to guide customer service teams and cross-functional partners through significant change. Ashleigh is consistently described as approachable, patient, and generous with her time. She is known for listening, welcoming feedback, and recognizing the contributions of others. These qualities made her a stabilizing leader during key transitions and enterprise initiatives. Through her partnerships with Sales, SIOP, Logistics, IT, and Operations, she helped maintain alignment, engagement, and execution. She ensured continuity for customers, even during periods of transformation, and demonstrated the power of Covia’s Team Value in action.

Mission Impact Award

Alongside its established awards, Covia introduced the Mission Impact Award for 2025 to recognize a nominee whose contributions exemplify Covia values and directly advance its Mission. For 2025, this new award recognizes Steve Schilling, whose leadership delivered impact across strategy, execution, and results. Steve played a pivotal role in opening the new Covia Innovation Center in Concord, North Carolina, a state‑of‑the‑art lab that opened on time and under budget, while simultaneously accelerating product and R&D pipelines. His team has helped support the successful commercialization of MinexST and the advancement of 20 new product ideas into Covia’s formal stage‑gate process. In parallel, Steve partnered closely with Sales to institutionalize customer engagement, strengthen technical credibility, customer interaction, and demand generation. He also partnered with a cross functional team to rebuild audit-ready reporting for new product sales and vitality metrics. Steve is repeatedly described as a selfless, high‑standards leader who elevates teams, challenges the status quo, and focuses on building durable capabilities rather than one‑off wins. Ultimately, his work consistently converts innovation into profit, customer‑visible results that drive commercial growth, and create scalable capabilities that enhance Covia’s competitive position both today and well into the future.

Volunteer of the Year

Covia is proud to help our team members invest in their communities, and the Volunteer of the Year Award recognizes a standout individual whose consistent service makes a difference in their area. Nominees were selected from team members who earned the President’s Volunteer Service Award by completing at least 200 volunteer hours. This year’s nominee pool included more than 15 individuals, with David Gatto standing out for his exceptional service. David volunteers extensively with Possibilities International, supporting humanitarian efforts such as medical aid, food distribution, housing assistance, and the delivery of essential supplies to individuals facing hardship, while also providing transportation for volunteer teams. David’s dedication to service embodies the spirit of community impact at the heart of this award.

“It’s easy to feel overwhelmed by the world’s problems, but I believe we can change the world by sharing hope with the people who need it most.”
— David Gatto, 2025 Volunteer of the Year Winner

Congratulations to all of our 2025 award winners! Each winner exemplifies Covia’s values through outstanding performance, leadership, and teamwork. These achievements reflect the meaningful difference our people make every day, from operational and commercial excellence to environmental stewardship and community impact. We encourage you to take a moment to congratulate the winners. Their accomplishments set a powerful example and help move Covia forward.