Tag: 3BL

July 14, 2023, /3BL/ – The Green Climate Fund (GCF) has announced $66 million in funding to support the Government of Pakistan’s efforts to reduce the twin climate impacts of flooding and drought and improve resilience in some of the country’s most vulnerable communities. Titled “Recharge Pakistan: Building Pakistan’s Resilience to Climate Change through Ecosystem-Based Adaptation for Integrated Flood Risk Management,” the initiative is the largest investment at the national level to-date in an ecosystem-based approach to flood and water resources management.

The new 7-year project brings together a broad set of funders to help reduce the vulnerability of people and ecosystems in Pakistan to the impacts of climate change following the devastating floods of the past year—which submerged one-third of the country and displaced millions. In addition to the GCF funding, the project is supported through a further $12 million investment and technical support from, collectively, The Coca-Cola Foundation, The U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID), and WWF-Pakistan.

The project represents a deep commitment to addressing climate impacts in vulnerable communities and will transform the country’s approach to flood and water resource management in local watershed sites in the Indus Basin river system. Further, by taking a nature-based approach to the problem, it will create benefits to communities beyond climate resilience.

“Recent years have brought an unprecedented series of climate disasters that touched every corner of the globe. The 2022 floods in Pakistan were among the most searing and severe. Our hearts go out to all who lost friends and loved ones,” said Carter Roberts, President and CEO of WWF-US. “The funding announced by the GCF alongside the commitments from The Coca-Cola Foundation and USAID marks a decisive step towards addressing the challenges faced by communities experiencing climate impacts first and worst. And while no intervention can fully protect against future climate disasters, the nature-based solutions funded through this investment will help local communities in Pakistan restore what was lost and build resilience to help withstand our shared climate future. WWF thanks the Government of Pakistan and looks forward to working with them and partners to implement this important initiative.”

Recharge Pakistan is a collaboration among: Pakistan’s Ministry of Climate Change (MoCC); the Federal Flood Commission (FFC) under the Ministry of Water Resources; local communities in DI Khan, the Ramak Watershed, and Manchar Lake; GCF; USAID; The Coca-Cola Foundation; and World Wildlife Fund (WWF). The program encompasses three vital components: demonstrating the effectiveness of ecosystem-based adaptation and green infrastructure, promoting its adoption via an improved enabling environment, and enhancing community resilience in Pakistan’s Indus Basin. This will be achieved through:

Restoration and reforestation of 14,215 hectares of forests and wetlandsRehabilitation 34 km of water flow paths and channelsDevelopment of 127 recharge basins and retention areasStrengthening the climate resilience of 7 local businesses in the agriculture and forests sectors

Together, project interventions will directly benefit more than 680,000 people and indirectly benefit more than 7 million people. 

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WWF is one of the world’s leading conservation organizations, working in nearly 100 countries for over half a century to help people and nature thrive. With the support of more than 5 million members worldwide, WWF is dedicated to delivering science-based solutions to preserve the diversity and abundance of life on Earth, halt the degradation of the environment and combat the climate crisis. Visit http://www.worldwildlife.org to learn more and keep up with the latest conservation news by following @WWFNews on Twitter and signing up for our newsletter and news alerts here.

MEDIA CONTACT

Chris Conner, christopher.conner@wwfus.org

Geoffrey Brown, a member of GoDaddy’s Content Creation and Education team, is making an impact by educating and supporting entrepreneurs on their digital journey. With a deep-rooted passion for small business, Geoffrey’s role goes beyond just imparting knowledge. His commitment to forming genuine connections and serving as a valuable resource for entrepreneurs drives him to go the extra mile.

Geoffrey’s role focuses on educating entrepreneurs about best practices across various digital platforms from websites to social media and content creation. He wants to ensure these entrepreneurs are forming a human connection with their audiences online, just like they would do in-person.

What truly excites Geoffrey about his role at GoDaddy is the opportunity to give back to the entrepreneurial community. Having grown up working in small businesses and with family members who owned their own enterprises, Geoffrey understands the challenges and triumphs faced by entrepreneurs.

“Education and resources are vital for entrepreneurial success,” said Geoffrey. “I come to work each day motivated by what I can do to support our local heroes.”

Geoffrey’s work extends beyond GoDaddy’s internal projects. He actively volunteers with Empower by GoDaddy, GoDaddy’s social impact program dedicated to serving underrepresented communities. By creating YouTube shorts, educational videos on TikTok and Instagram, and hosting webinars, Geoffrey ensures that entrepreneurs from underserved communities have access to practical and easily understandable insights. Through his volunteer work with Empower by GoDaddy, he strives to reach even more entrepreneurs and provide them with valuable educational resources.

For Geoffrey, inclusive entrepreneurship means that every entrepreneur, no matter their background, should have a seat at the table. “Everyone gets a piece of education, help and experience no matter who they are, what their background is or where they are from,” said Geoffrey. Through his dedication to inclusivity, Geoffrey aims to level the playing field and empower entrepreneurs everywhere.

Geoffrey’s impact is evident through the numerous messages of gratitude he receives from entrepreneurs he has supported. “I have gotten many emails from entrepreneurs thanking me or adding me on LinkedIn for the information I shared, the passion they heard on the webinars, or the way that I email them after a session and help them with blogs or getting them going in the right direction,” said Geoffrey.

Geoffrey also shed light on how local communities can support small businesses, even if they cannot be direct customers. “You can of course be a patron of their business, but if you cannot, do not let that stop you from celebrating that business online,” said Geoffrey. “By sharing their posts on social media, liking and commenting on their content, and even tagging friends to promote their products or services, communities can play a pivotal role in supporting small businesses.”

Geoffrey’s personal favorite is tagging friends on social media and suggesting that their offerings would make excellent gifts. He also emphasizes the value of stocking up on gift cards from small businesses to spread support throughout the year, even during non-special occasions.

When asked about his advice for aspiring entrepreneurs, Geoffrey recommends conducting thorough research and planning, seeking help and advice from those who have gone through the entrepreneurial journey, and being prepared for hard work and flexibility. Above all, Geoffrey encourages individuals to believe in themselves and their abilities, assuring them that they have what it takes to succeed.

Geoffrey’s dedication to educating and supporting entrepreneurs exemplifies GoDaddy’s commitment to making entrepreneurship more inclusive for all. Through his role on the Content Creation and Education team and his volunteer efforts with Empower by GoDaddy, Geoffrey continues to make a significant impact for entrepreneurs worldwide. His passion for inclusivity and community support shines through his work, helping entrepreneurs form human connections and achieve success in the digital world.

Empower by GoDaddy Spotlight Series: By partnering with diverse local nonprofits and community organizations around the world, Empower by GoDaddy aims to reach those who haven’t otherwise had access by offering skills training, resources, and mentoring to help accelerate their business journeys. This article is part of the Empower by GoDaddy spotlight series that shines a light on the individuals who make this unique initiative possible. 

There is a clear increase in focus on the “S” in ‘ESG’, and human rights is a fundamental issue concerning all organizations and their impact. Human rights are also foundational for broader ESG reporting, not just on social issues, but also across the entire sustainability spectrum. The GRI Universal Standards underwent a significant update in October 2021, integrating human rights reporting as a mandatory component of the standards rather than an optional, standalone topic (formerly known as GRI 412). This means that, for the first time, all organizations using the GRI Standards are expected to report on how they respect human rights.

This month, GRI hosted the third session of our five-part 2023 webinar series, . This program is exclusively offered to our members and is designed to support organizations and service providers in their reporting process, from preparation all the way to publication. Members can benefit from practical insights not only from GRI staff but also from fellow GRI Community members and external experts.

The session began with GRI staff providing subject matter expertise on the implementation of human rights, delving into critical aspects, such as human rights due diligence. This crucial process requires companies to identify, prevent, mitigate, and be accountable for their impact on human rights. Building upon this foundation, the conversation then transitioned to guest speakers, including a representative from AmerisourceBergen, a public US Fortune 500 company in the global drug wholesale industry. AmerisourceBergen’s ESG expert provided valuable insights and real-world examples of how their organization incorporates human rights practices and commitments.

The AmerisourceBergen representative said:

“We pulled together a small working group and we said, alright we need to build a human rights policy statement, we need to take all the things that are happening across the company that support this commitment and put it into a formal document and put it on our website. I just give this as an example because, GRI, the materiality process and the standards really helped provide a backbone and avenue for us to think about this. It is not necessarily one of our top 5 material issues, but it is still something we consider material and wanted to make sure we had the right policy in place.” 

The updated GRI Universal Standards raises the standard for human rights reporting and environmental due diligence, being the first and only global reporting standards to fully align with transparency expectations for sustainability impacts on human rights, as set out in authoritative and intergovernmental instruments including the UN Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights, OECD Guidelines for Multinational Enterprises and OECD Due Diligence Guidance for Responsible Business Conduct, among others.

In addition, the GRI Standards offer the strongest coverage of the “S” in ‘ESG’, encompassing 17 standards dedicated to addressing social topics, as well as many other Topic Standards that also hold relevance from a social perspective. Learn more about , as well as other that GRI provides.

FORT WORTH, Texas, July 14, 2023 /3BL/ – American Airlines issued its 2022 Sustainability Report, providing updates on the company’s strategy and progress on key issues over the year. The report affirms American’s focus on the sustainability issues most important to its business and stakeholders, including climate change, customer and team member safety, human capital and customer service.

“Over the past year, American has worked tirelessly to fly more and bring people together again,” American’s CEO Robert Isom said. “I’m deeply proud of our team for building back our airline, developing a pipeline of new and diverse talent and advancing our climate goals — all while remaining steadfastly committed to our why: caring for people on life’s journey.”

American’s strategy for reaching net-zero greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions by 2050 is focused on running a more fuel-efficient operation, with more fuel-efficient aircraft increasingly powered by low-carbon fuel. Over the past several years, American has undertaken the most extensive fleet renewal effort in the history of its industry — giving the airline the youngest mainline fleet among U.S. network carriers. In 2022, American took meaningful steps forward across its strategy — from adding new-generation aircraft to its fleet and finalizing its most significant sustainable aviation fuel offtake agreement to date to announcing investments in two companies focused on the development of low-carbon, hydrogen-powered aviation.

In 2022, American became the first airline globally to receive validation from the Science Based Targets initiative (SBTi) that its intermediate 2035 GHG reduction targets comply with the criteria in the SBTi’s first aviation pathway. The company’s Sustainability Report also includes a detailed discussion of American’s risks and opportunities related to climate change, as recommended by the Task Force on Climate-related Financial Disclosures.

Embedding diversity, equity and inclusion across American gives its culture a competitive advantage and underpins American’s quest to be the best airline for its customers. The report describes the company’s efforts to create opportunities for people from all backgrounds, including diverse groups historically underrepresented in the airline industry, and to increase awareness, access and opportunity for everyone interested in exploring a career in aviation.

The team at American is the engine behind the high level of service it provides to customers. Even as the company rapidly ramped up operations in 2022, it maintained its focus on offering the reliability, dependability and world-class experience its customers expect. Thanks to the hard work of the American team, the company recorded its best-ever customer satisfaction scores, as measured by Likelihood to Recommend, for the year. The company also continues to have an uncompromising commitment to customer and team member safety.

The airline’s progress toward its sustainability goals continues to receive accolades. American was named 2023 Air Transport World Eco-Airline of the Year, and in 2022 remained the only passenger airline to be included in the Dow Jones Sustainability North America Index for a second consecutive year.

About American Airlines Group
To Care for People on Life’s Journey®. Shares of American Airlines Group Inc. trade on Nasdaq under the ticker symbol AAL and the company’s stock is included in the S&P 500. Learn more about what’s happening at American by visiting news.aa.com and connect with American on Twitter @AmericanAir and at Facebook.com/AmericanAirlines.

Cautionary statement regarding forward-looking statements and information
Certain of the statements contained in this release, including goals for and projections of future results, the expected execution and effect of our sustainability strategies and initiatives and the amounts and timing of their expected impact, should be considered forward-looking statements. These forward-looking statements are based on the company’s current objectives, beliefs and expectations, and they are subject to significant risks and uncertainties, many of which are outside the company’s control, that may cause actual results and financial position and timing of certain events to differ materially from the information in the forward-looking statements. Please see the company’s latest Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q and the company’s other filings with the SEC for a discussion of risk factors as they may relate to forward-looking statements. The company does not assume any obligation to publicly update or supplement any forward-looking statement to reflect actual results, changes in assumptions or changes in other factors affecting these forward-looking statements other than as required by law. Any forward-looking statements speak only as of the date hereof or as of the dates indicated in the statement.

July 14, 2023, /3BL/ – Ten leading food and beverage, apparel, and agriculture companies are urging Congress to use the 2023 Farm Bill to modernize and expand the tools for farmers to access federal conservation programs and resources.

In a letter sent Thursday to the House and Senate agriculture committees, the companies emphasize the need for improved technical assistance for farmers seeking to access voluntary U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) programs and funds, which yield cleaner water and air, healthier soil, and more biodiversity.

Signatories of the letter include Bonterra Organic Estates, Brown Family Farms, Eileen Fisher, IndigoAg, Mars Inc., New Belgium Brewing, PepsiCo, Sierra Nevada, Solectrac, and Stonyfield Organic. The diverse group of signatories reflects the strong support from the food and beverage, apparel, and agriculture industries to improve farmers’ access to regenerative agriculture resources. It was also signed by the Evangelical Environmental Network and Kiss the Ground, two nonprofit organizations that are engaging farmers directly to advance sustainable and regenerative agriculture practices, and was organized by Ceres, a nonprofit that works with companies and investors to advance sustainability practices and policies.

“Unfortunately, many potential applicants can’t access these programs because the application process is overly complex and current Technical Assistance (TA) resources are insufficient,” the signatories wrote. “TA should provide all of our nation’s farmers, ranchers, and forestland owners with the knowledge, tools, and resources they need to successfully participate in USDA-NRCS programs and access financial resources.”

The signatories outline opportunities to improve technical assistance, such as by forming new public-private partnerships and simplifying the application process. These improvements should aim to expand access to farmers of color, small farms, and beginner farmers that have historically struggled to access resources, and to benefit rural economies with a pipeline of well-paying jobs, the letter says.

“The 2023 Farm Bill is a critical opportunity to further invest in America and its farmers with smart and forward-looking agricultural practices to protect our food system and grow our economy,” said Zach Friedman, director of federal policy, Ceres. “Major companies recognize the huge potential of helping farmers adopt climate-smart practices that defend against climate and other sustainability threats, create good jobs and new economic opportunities in rural America, and help them meet their own climate goals throughout their supply chains. We urge Congress to take note of the expertise and insight of industry as they make it a priority to modernize and expand technical assistance for all farmers and ranchers during Farm Bill negotiations this year.”

In 2021, Ceres launched its Climate-Smart Agriculture and Healthy Soils Working Group, made up of leading food and clothing companies in support of agricultural policy that uplifts farmers as climate leaders. These companies have focused on making the economic case for a climate-smart Farm Bill, regularly meeting with members of Congress — most recently at LEAD on a Clean Economy 2023 in May — and organizing a letter to lawmakers outlining five key priorities for the bill, including modernized and expanded technical assistance.

Ceres has also worked with companies to support, uphold, and maximize the additional conservation resources provided by the Inflation Reduction Act of 2022. And it has endorsed bipartisan legislation, crafted by Sen. Mike Braun of Indiana, to expand technical assistance certification to private-sector and non-federal organizations, increasing the number of technical assistance providers so more farmers can access them.

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

Time is of the essence when it comes to achieving change. At the Sustainable Apparel Coalition (SAC), we are driven by an ambitious vision of a global consumer goods industry that gives more than it takes – to the planet and its people, and recognize the urgency with which we need to accelerate our progress to move the industry forward.

In her latest blog, Amina Razvi, CEO of the Sustainable Apparel Coalition shares her reflections following the recent publication of our Annual Report for 2022, of our Annual Report, and the next steps we need to take to reach our industry-shared goals.

 

Read her blog post titled, Forging a Path Toward a Better Tomorrow on the SAC website.

BETHESDA, Md., July 14, 2023, /3BL/ – Wildlife Habitat Council (WHC) announced the winners of its 2023 WHC Awards during the WHC Conservation Conference held in Baltimore, Maryland, on June 20-21. The WHC Awards honor excellence in corporate conservation, with awardees representing various national and international companies across industries.

The year’s top awards, signifying leadership in conservation, were won by Freeport-McMoRan, WM and Matador Ranch & Cattle.

“We are proud to recognize the excellent achievements of this year’s WHC award winners, including Freeport-McMoRan, WM and Matador Ranch & Cattle,” said Margaret O’Gorman, President, WHC. “All of the award recipients have demonstrated excellence in corporate conservation, and we are honored to work alongside them to support biodiversity, sustainability and conservation education.”

The Employee Engagement Award, given to WM, recognizes the exemplary contributions of one company’s employees towards their habitat and conservation education efforts.

The 2023 Gold Program of the Year Award, which honors the overall depth of one conservation program, was awarded to Matador Ranch & Cattle for its Beaverhead Ranch site in Dillon, Montana.

Freeport-McMoRan received this year’s Corporate Conservation Leadership Award, which recognizes one company’s overall achievement in conservation and commends their corporate commitment to biodiversity, conservation education and alignment with global conservation objectives.

In addition to these corporate and program-level awards, individual projects are recognized for excellence in each of the WHC Project Guidance themes. This award category offers projects of all sizes the ability to compete for recognition.

Freeport-McMoRan was the year’s most honored company, receiving the WHC Corporate Conservation Leadership Award as well as three project awards (Bats, Formal Learning and Species of Concern) recognizing their conservation and education work in Arizona and New Mexico.

The following is a complete list of 2023 WHC Award Winners:

WHC Corporate Conservation Leadership Award 
Freeport-McMoRan

WHC Employee Engagement Award 
WM

WHC Gold Program of the Year Award 
Matador Ranch & Cattle, Beaverhead Ranch | Dillon, Montana

Avian Project Award 
BP, Warm Springs Ponds | Butte, Montana

Awareness and Community Engagement Project Award 
Summit Materials, Hamm Sanitary Landfill | Perry, Kansas

Bats Project Award 
Freeport-McMoRan, Cyprus Tohono Corporation | Casa Grande, Arizona

Desert Project Award 
CEMEX, El Carmen Nature Reserve | Coahuila, Mexico

Forests Project Award 
SIBELCO, Unidade Jaguaruna | Santa Catarina, Brazil

Formal Learning Project Award 
Freeport-McMoRan, Port Nickel | Phoenix, Arizona

Grasslands Project Award 
WM, Kirby Canyon Recycling and Disposal Facility | San Jose, California

Green Infrastructure Project Award 
Davey Resource Group, WSSI Native Habitat | Gainesville, Virginia

Invasive Species Project Award 
California Resources Company, Bolsa Chica Wetlands Ecosystem Partnership | Huntington Beach, California

Invasive Species Coordinated Approaches Project 
Matador Ranch & Cattle, Beaverhead Ranch | Dillon, Montana

Land Conservation Agreements Project Award 
Boeing, Boeing South Carolina – Keystone/Fairlawn Project | North Charleston, South Carolina

Landscaped Project Award 
DuPont, Experimental Station Laboratories | Wilmington, Delaware

Mammals Project Award 
MEG Energy Corporation, Christina Lake Regional Project | Alberta, Canada

Marine Intertidal Project Award 
The Earth Lab, The Earth Lab – Ejido Sisal | Distrito Federal, Mexico

Other Habitats Project Award 
General Motors, Quito | Pichincha, Ecuador

Other Species Project Award 
Ontario Power Generation, Ontario Power Generation Wesleyville Site | Ontario, Canada

Pollinators Project Award 
Constellation, James A. FitzPatrick Nuclear Power Plant | Oswego, New York

Remediation Project Award 
Ashland, Research Center, DE | Wilmington, Delaware

Reptiles and Amphibians Project Award 
BP, Warm Springs Ponds | Butte, Montana

Rocky Areas Project Award 
Exelon, Goat Hill Serpentine Barrens Restoration | Nottingham, Pennsylvania

Species of Concern Project Award 
Freeport-McMoRan, Tyrone | Tyrone, New Mexico

Training Project Award 
ITC Holdings, ITC Transmission Line Right-of-Way at Tomlinson Arboretum | Clinton Twp., Michigan

Wetlands and Water Bodies Project Award 
Ontario Power Generation, Ontario Power Generation Wesleyville Site | Ontario, Canada

Award finalists and winners were chosen from Conservation Certification applications submitted between January 1, 2022 – December 31, 2022 that were granted certification. Information on award criteria can be found here.

About WHC

For 35 years, WHC has been promoting and certifying ecological stewardship action on corporate lands through partnerships and education. Since only 10-15% of the world’s land surface is protected, private lands provide an essential opportunity for restoring and protecting biodiversity. As the only international conservation NGO focused exclusively on the private sector, WHC provides a framework for voluntary conservation action on a wide variety of corporate lands. WHC’s corporate members represent some of the leading national and multinational corporations seeking to support sustainable ecosystems and the communities that surround them. These efforts have resulted in more than 1,000 certified programs across 47 states and 28 countries.

Nasdaq

As of July 7, 2023, the European Commission has closed the comment period of the standards developed for the Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive (CSRD). Soon, the European Commission will adopt their final version of the European Sustainability Reporting Standards (ESRS) for political approval. This approval process could take anywhere from a few weeks to a few months and is expected to result in the official ESRS publication before the end of 2023, in time for companies to begin reporting in 2024. Nasdaq’s ESG Solutions team will publish an update when these standards are finalized, but for now, here’s an update on the ESRS of CSRD.

What are the European Sustainability Reporting Standards (ESRS)?

The first set of sector-agnostic draft standards, comprising the 12 ESRS drafts, were submitted by the European Financial Reporting Advisory Group (EFRAG) under the CSRD on November 2022. They included two cross-cutting standards, five environmental topic standards, four social topic standards and one governance topic standard. The most recent draft was released by the European Commission for comment in early June 2023 and is altered from the initial draft. While it contains much of the same material, some changes have been made.

Recent Changes to the ESRS

The most substantial change in the latest draft is the application of materiality. The same two cross-cutting standards (ESRS 1 and ESRS 2) and 10 topic standards remain; however, all topic standards and their data points are now subject to a materiality assessment. Unlike many voluntary frameworks, the EU has been clear that double materiality is the standard that companies will be held to, incorporating both financial and impact materiality.

In addition to the wider scope of standards that are now subject to a materiality assessment, other substantial changes to the standards include:

1. Some previously mandatory metrics are now voluntary, including biodiversity transition plans and certain indicators about “non-employees” in the undertaking’s own workforce

2. Phasing-in of certain standards for smaller undertakings, defined as companies with fewer than 750 employees, who may choose to omit:

Scope 3 greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions data and the disclosure requirements specified in the standard on “own workforce” in the first year that they apply the standardsThe disclosure requirements specified in the standards on biodiversity and value-chain workers, affected communities, and consumers and end-users in the first two years that they apply the standards.

3. An expanded glossary of terms and acronyms

4. Better interoperability with other standards and frameworks and alignment with EU legal frameworks

Nasdaq can help companies prepare for reporting to CSRD and other voluntary and regulatory frameworks through our ESG technology and advisory solutions. Moreover, Nasdaq offers tools, like Nasdaq OneReport, to help companies prepare for current and future ESG regulatory requirements.

Nasdaq OneReport’s EU ESG Regulatory Reporting Readiness Module helps EU-based companies (or others affected by these regulations) to stay up-to-date and respond to these developments.The tool’s robust workflow supports dozens of voluntary and regulatory standards, such as SFDR and EU Taxonomy reporting, as well as CSRD once guidance is finalized.Nasdaq OneReport provides robust cross-referencing and guidance, with thousands of maps across frameworks and standards, to help companies save time and money in collecting and disclosing the highest quality data to relevant stakeholders.

ESRS Adoption Timeline

The ESRS are still expected to be finalized and signed into law for use by the beginning of 2024. A more detailed timeline can be found here via Nasdaq article, CSRD Update: Impacted Businesses and How to Prepare for Mandatory Reporting.

More regulations to come from the EU include:

The Corporate Sustainability Due Diligence Directive (CSDDD) aims to “establish a European framework for a responsible and sustainable approach to global value chains, given the importance of companies as a pillar in the construction of a sustainable society and economy.” The proposed legislation would apply to larger EU LLCs and companies in high-impact sectors as well as non-EU companies who meet the employee and net turnover thresholds. While it has been proposed, the final text is still subject to political negotiations.The 10 Sector Specific ESRS are still to come. The EFRAG Sustainability Reporting Board has pushed its release of sector-specific ESRS another year. The sector-specific standards were originally projected to be released in October 2023.

As these announcements continue to evolve, please check back for more updates from Nasdaq’s ESG Solutions team. For more information about how Nasdaq ESG Solutions can help your company prepare for reporting, contact us here: nasdaq.com/solutions/corporate-esg-solutions/contact.

People spend much of their day in their cars. They drive to work in the mornings, pick up kids in the afternoon, and load the car with groceries in the evening. They rarely think about the little piece of plastic that makes it all possible. But for the millions of people who’ve lost their driver’s licenses, it isn’t something they take for granted.

Losing a driver’s license can have life-altering consequences. It makes daily tasks like going to the grocery store difficult and can prevent someone from getting a job or qualifying for services, according to Debbie Clayman, senior vice president and associate general counsel at Truist. “That affects their ability to be part of the community,” she says.

That’s why she and other Truist teammates in Georgia, Virginia, and North Carolina are providing volunteer legal services, called “pro bono,” to help people who can’t afford attorneys restore their driving privileges. Because it’s more than a driver’s license. It’s the engine that allows people to support themselves and their families.

Truist’s pro bono legal team isn’t just helping someone build a better life, according to Clayman. It’s building a better community.

“They often describe it as life-changing”

Truist’s legal teammates collaborate with law firms and nonprofits to lead license restoration clinics. With partner Kilpatrick Townsend & Stockton LLP, for example, Truist volunteers have helped nearly 300 people develop driver’s license restoration plans.

And demand for their services is high. In North Carolina, more than 1.2 million people have lost their licenses because unpaid fines and fees or failing to appear in court, says B. Leigh Wicclair, director of the Restorative Justice Project at the North Carolina Pro Bono Resource Center.

“And that can happen even if it’s the person’s first time ever missing court or getting a ticket,” Wicclair says. “And we’re talking about really low-level tickets: speeding, having a taillight out, that sort of thing. So that’s 15% of all adult drivers in the state.”

Navigating a complex legal process can be intimidating—and expensive. For people living on meager incomes, it can feel impossible.

“People describe feeling like they’re in a hole they just can’t get out of,” Wicclair says.

Truist teammates, who have worked with Wicclair’s organization, are helping fill a critical gap not covered by other legal aid, she says. “If it weren’t for the pro bono volunteers, there just wouldn’t be the service available.”

Truist attorneys also volunteer with Drive-To-Work, a Virginia nonprofit that helps people who were previously incarcerated restore their driving privileges. Teammates lead virtual clinics for inmates who will soon be released and are preparing to rejoin their communities.

Drive-To-Work President and CEO Sara Wilson has seen the difference a driver’s license can make.

“They often describe it as life-changing,” she says.

Providing pro bono help where it matters most

The legal team at Truist has a history of pro bono volunteerism. Following the merger, Ellen Fitzsimmons, Truist chief legal officer and head of public affairs, saw an opportunity to formalize efforts both companies had been so committed to. She asked teammates to create ways to do even more impactful service by developing a Truist companywide pro bono program.

The team also helps with criminal record expunction and with eviction diversion counseling, helping keep people in their homes through mediation and financial education.

Teammates have organized clinics to help health care heroes and first responders with their wills, assisting with generational wealth planning.

“Whether it’s a will or a license restoration clinic, it’s helping people build their life back up and get on a financial footing to succeed and contribute to their community,” says Alex Chudoba, Truist associate general counsel.

“Our goal is to figure out the community’s needs and how to serve those needs through our program or service.”

A culture of volunteerism

Legal teammates are ready to expand the pro bono work. Truist’s goal is to have every attorney participate in one pro bono or volunteer event every year.

The pro bono team identifies opportunities that can have a large and positive ripple effect. Like a two-hour clinic that helps a first responder craft a will that’s going to secure a family’s financial well-being for generations or a session that helps restore the driver’s license of a working single parent.

“Putting together resources, we can do a little work on behalf of each of us, and collectively, we’re going to do a lot of good in the community,” says Clayman.

Read more stories of other Truist teammates who are living Truist’s purpose, to inspire and build better lives and communities.

The Garyville, Louisiana, refinery-sponsored golf classic raised nearly $160,000 for St. John United Way at the 24th annual charitable tournament.The proceeds will help the agency fund educational initiatives and ongoing storm recovery efforts in the parish following Hurricane Ida in 2021.More than 200 golfers participated in the event held at Riverlands Golf & Country Club in LaPlace, Louisiana.

More than 200 golfers took part in Marathon Petroleum’s annual St. John United Way Golf Classic held earlier this year at Riverlands Golf & Country Club in LaPlace, Louisiana. In its 24th year, the charitable tournament generated nearly $160,000 for area education initiatives and ongoing storm recovery efforts in the aftermath of Hurricane Ida.

Home to Marathon Petroleum’s refinery in Garyville, Louisiana, St. John the Baptist Parish is still rebuilding nearly two years after the powerful hurricane caused widespread destruction across Southeast Louisiana in August of 2021.

“The need is still very much there as we approach the second anniversary of Hurricane Ida and its wide-reaching impacts,” said Michael Henschen, Vice President of Refining at the Garyville refinery. “That’s why this event, along with other initiatives either spearheaded or supported by Marathon Petroleum over the course of the last two years, continues to be critical to our region’s recovery.”

In addition to hurricane recovery aid, funds raised at the golf classic will also support the local United Way’s educational programming, including STEAM initiatives, which in addition to science, technology, engineering and math, now includes the arts.

“Marathon Petroleum has continued to show why they are a strong partner in the community, and the golf classic is one of many ways the company and their employees give back,” said Dolores Montz, Executive Director of St. John United Way. “By hosting the golf tournament every year, Marathon provides us the tools and resources to engage the larger community, while maximizing the dollars raised.”

According to Montz, food insecurity is another critical area of focus for the agency, which works with nonprofits like Second Harvest Food Bank, St. John Ministry of Care, and Health and Human Services.

It was at the 2021 golf classic where Marathon Petroleum unveiled its “Celebrating Resiliency and a Brighter Tomorrow” campaign—a multi-million-dollar investment in St. John the Baptist Parish, focused on the long-term recovery efforts following Hurricane Ida.