Tag: 3BL

Abbott

Duct tape. Electrical tape. Painter’s tape. Tape is one of those useful tools that is always good to have in the toolbox. And to support children’s health, we must utilize all the tools available to us.

A unique kind of tape called the Mid-Upper Arm Circumference (MUAC) z-score tape — an innovative and easy-to-use tool in our global health toolbox — is playing a key role in the fight against childhood malnutrition, which affects millions of kids each year.

To encourage communities to come together for children, we’re launching a “Beat Malnutrition” campaign alongside our partners at Real Madrid and the Real Madrid Foundation to highlight the importance of nutrition education and screening using the MUAC z-score tape. As part of the campaign, we co-created a custom “Beat Malnutrition” armband inspired by the MUAC z-score tape that will be worn by Real Madrid players before their final game of the 2022-2023 La Liga season and distributed to fans at the Santiago Bernabéu Stadium to drive awareness of the ongoing efforts between Abbott and the club.

“Measuring children with the MUAC z-score tape happens in seconds but has the potential to be lifesaving,” said Ann Smith, co-lead of the Abbott Center for Malnutrition Solutions.

“Through our partnership and ‘Beat Malnutrition’ campaign with Real Madrid and the Real Madrid Foundation, we’re spotlighting the importance of education and malnutrition screening to identify kids who are at-risk, which is an important step on the path to prevention.”

Our Matchups Against Malnutrition

Our partnership with the Real Madrid Foundation is one example of what we do with the Abbott Center for Malnutrition Solutions, working with partners in multiple countries to focus on reducing malnutrition globally.

We’ve trained Real Madrid Foundation coaches to use the MUAC z-score tape in Mexico, India, and the U.S., with the goal of screening more than 2,500 children in nine countries by the end of the program’s first year.

In addition to the armbands, we’re hosting the first-ever Run to Beat Malnutrition on June 3, where over 1,000 runners will travel through the Ciudad Real Madrid to raise awareness for the cause. All the proceeds will be donated to Real Madrid Foundation. We’re also offering a virtual version of the race with the support of our Abbott World Marathon Majors Global Run Club. For every runner who participates virtually, Abbott will donate $5 to the Real Madrid Foundation to help fight malnutrition.

“To beat malnutrition, we must find it early — and to find it, we need more people to know how to identify it. We hope this campaign and our partnership with Abbott brings needed attention to the issues of malnutrition and gives communities the knowledge and tools to address it and to help children live healthy lives,” said Iker Casillas, deputy general manager, Real Madrid Foundation.

There isn’t a one-size-fits-all approach to fighting malnutrition around the world. By raising awareness with accessible tools like the MUAC z-score tape and providing nutrition education, however, we can empower communities to improve the health and potential of children.

BOISE, Idaho, June 6, 2023 /3BL Media/ – Albertsons Companies, Inc. (NYSE: ACI), along with the Albertsons Companies Foundation, is amplifying its commitment to fight hunger by declaring June 6 as Nourishing Neighbors Day. To mark the occasion, the Foundation is also announcing the recipients of three multiyear Nourishing Neighbors Spark Grants totaling $9 million to nonprofit organizations that are spearheading innovative programs designed to create long-term solutions for moving people out of food insecurity.

“Our grocery stores, including Albertsons, Safeway, Vons, Shaw’s, Jewel-Osco and Tom Thumb, have a long-standing history of donating money, fresh food and pantry staples to area food banks, soup kitchens, community fridges and more to help ensure our neighbors in need have access to a nutritious meal,” said Susan Morris, Chief Operations Officer for Albertsons Cos. and Board Chair for Albertsons Companies Foundation. “While regular food distribution is an important and critical part of addressing hunger, we developed these grants so we can advance our efforts further by supporting organizations that are at the forefront of empowering individuals and families to achieve lasting food security.”

Hunger is a complex health and social issue impacting more than 13.5 million American households, including those with children.* The following nonprofit organizations were selected for a Nourishing Neighbors Spark Grant of $3 million each for their unique solutions, expertise and promise of far-reaching impact in ending hunger.

Share our Strength 
Share Our Strength is a nonprofit organization working to end hunger and poverty through their No Kid Hungry campaign and other programs. With the Nourishing Neighbors grant, Share Our Strength will design and fund a program to help single mothers break the cycle of poverty through career coaching; stipends for food, housing and childcare; counseling support; tax services and more. Single mothers in the United States are the group mostly likely to live in poverty and struggle with hunger**. With this program, Share Our Strength can help these women, and their children, live the healthy, happy lives they deserve. 
 United Way of the Bay Area 
Almost 900,000 people are food insecure in the San Francisco Bay Area. United Way Bay Area mobilizes a network of community partners to effectively respond to food insecurity by collaborating across sectors including nonprofits and government agencies to address both short-term essential human needs and advocate for long-term systemic changes in the pursuit of a healthier, more equitable region. The Nourishing Neighbors grant will fund a pilot program with 100 low-income families in Alameda County by 2027. Families will receive customized financial coaching and monthly stipends as part of an immersive and innovative community-based program to help the most marginalized communities break through the cycle of poverty and hunger. 
 FIND Food Bank 
FIND is a regional food bank in southern California feeding an average of 150,000 people each month through their network of 150 distribution sites and over 80 community-based partners. The food bank will use their grant to create a program targeted to food insecure college students, primarily at community colleges, and provide career coaching, employment opportunities, stipends and other services to provide a pathway for success when they graduate.

Nourishing Neighbors Program

Nourishing Neighbors is a charitable program of Albertsons Cos. Foundation and seeks to ensure at-risk children, adults, seniors and families have access to the food they need to thrive.

During the month of May, Nourishing Neighbors raised more than $6.2 million through customer donations made at the register across every Albertsons Cos. store. Since the program’s inception in 2014, Nourishing Neighbors (formerly Hunger Is) has raised more than $200 million for thousands of nonprofit organizations that are on the front lines of combatting hunger in America. In 2020, Nourishing Neighbors enabled 350 million meals, invested $10.4 million in schools to feed kids and provided $9 million toward empowering BIPOC communities through hunger programs.

“By declaring June 6 as Nourishing Neighbors Day, our goal is to raise continued awareness and support for Americans who continually struggle with where their next meal is coming from,” said Christy Duncan Anderson, President and Executive Director for Albertsons Companies Foundation. “Thanks to the incredible generosity of our customers, the Nourishing Neighbors program is able to help millions of people gain access to a nutritious meal.”

Nourishing Neighbors New PSA Campaign

To further advance the fight to end hunger, Nourishing Neighbors debuted a new PSA campaign last month to inspire communities to learn how they can get involved and help millions of Americans who are food insecure. The campaign, which emphasizes that “everyone should be welcome at the table,” appears nationally across media platforms including TV, radio, digital, print and a Times Square digital billboard in New York City.

For more information on Nourishing Neighbors, click here. To download related video assets and images, please click here.

For media relations, contact media@albertsons.com.

* USDA Household Food Security in the United States in 2021: https://www.ers.usda.gov/webdocs/publications/104656/err-309.pdf?v=3584.2

** USDA Economic Research Service, September 2022:

https://www.ers.usda.gov/data-products/chart-gallery/gallery/chart-detail/?chartId=58384

About Albertsons Companies 
Albertsons Companies is a leading food and drug retailer in the United States. As of February 25, 2023, the Company operated 2,271 retail stores with 1,722 pharmacies, 401 associated fuel centers, 22 dedicated distribution centers and 19 manufacturing facilities. The Company operates stores across 34 states and the District of Columbia with 24 banners including Albertsons, Safeway, Vons, Jewel-Osco, Shaw’s, Acme, Tom Thumb, Randalls, United Supermarkets, Pavilions, Star Market, Haggen, Carrs, Kings Food Markets and Balducci’s Food Lovers Market. The Company is committed to helping people across the country live better lives by making a meaningful difference, neighborhood by neighborhood. In 2022, along with the Albertsons Companies Foundation, the Company contributed more than $200 million in food and financial support, including more than $40 million through our Nourishing Neighbors Program to ensure those living in our communities and those impacted by disasters have enough to eat.

By Mike Sievert, CEO of T-Mobile

I was honored to deliver a commencement speech June 4 at the University of Washington’s Foster School of Business undergraduate graduation ceremony. What an incredible day to celebrate with the amazing, determined and resilient graduates of the Class of 2023! They persevered to reach this important milestone despite a once-in-a-generation pandemic that changed everything about how we learned, worked and lived life.

Looking out at their faces, what struck me the most is that change is upon them again. From this moment on, no one is prescribing their path for them or what success will look like. So, I was excited to put myself in their shoes and offer up some advice I’ve grown to live by in my career, along with some real-world advice that they don’t teach you in college!

Here’s what I shared:

Good afternoon, everyone! Thank you for the great introduction, Dean Hodge. Graduates, and your families and supporters, thank you for giving us a reason to come together to celebrate today — and congratulations!

 I remember sitting in your chair. You’re probably feeling ALL the emotions: Excited. Proud. Relieved. Nervous. Maybe a little Uncertain. (By the way, if you put yourself out there, those nervous feelings never go away — I’m pretty sure I just experienced them again stepping up here today!)

Preparing for this day took me back to my own graduation milestone … and how it feels. And I realized this, right here, today — is the first time in our lives no one is telling us what comes next, or even how to define our own success.

Think about it: Up until now, 11th grade followed 10th grade. Senior year followed junior year. There were even specific steps you had to take to be successful, like to gain admission to the incredible Foster School at the University of Washington. And once you were here, you completed every prescribed requirement to make it to graduation day.

Other people told you what success looked like. OTHER people decided YOUR success criteria. Get good grades, good scores, get involved in your school community, maybe pursue athletics or the arts. Pass each grade with success in these areas, and progress to the next. Year after year until this very moment.

Now, in a few short minutes, they’re gonna open those doors, release us into the world, and for the first time in your lives, there’s no path. There’s no prescribed definition of success. It’s COMPLETELY up to you. Your adult post-graduate life is a completely blank sheet of paper with no boxes on it to check off.

It’s exhilarating and sort of daunting all at the same time, isn’t it? I felt it when I graduated for sure, but also SO many times during my career. This feeling of not knowing the path ahead never goes away, so you might as well get used to it — and even learn to embrace it!

I know I felt it again when I joined T-Mobile almost 11 years ago. Back then, T-Mobile was a struggling #4 provider in the U.S. and was rapidly shrinking. It was a company without a clear path ahead. Seems like a great time to join a company, huh? I got there and thought, I really know how to pick ’em, you know?

I distinctly remember that feeling of, “OK, so what the heck do we do now?” during a time when very little that was happening was working. We knew we needed to make some changes pretty fast. So, what did we do?

We got curious. We listened to customers who were angry at our whole industry, and we made some big changes to show them we’d be a company that would put them first — in an industry famous for the opposite back then. We took smart risks and made some audacious moves. Fast forward just one decade, and we’ve gone from a distant #4 in the U.S.A. to, at the end of last year, the world’s largest telecommunications company of any kind by market cap. It’s been just a remarkable journey, and you know what?

We got here by constantly asking two simple questions that probably apply to each of us sitting here today. The questions are: “What if?” and “Why not?” What if? And why not? WHAT IF we eliminated data buckets and went all-in on Unlimited plans? WHY NOT give customers a free thank-you every single Tuesday with T-Mobile Tuesdays? What IF we allowed customers to roam with their phones worldwide for free?

And in providing ourselves the answers, we figured out what we were good at — which is loving customers and changing an industry in their favor — then doubled down on it. Love is a funny word for a company to use. But it applies, because we put ourselves out there, hoping customers would reciprocate and love us back. And it has worked out pretty well so far.

And today, as graduates, you’re at a similar crossroads. For the first time, you have the complete freedom to ask “What if” and “Why not” every day, to chart your course, and to define what success looks like to YOU.

Now, some of you might already have a sense of where you’re initially headed — you have accepted a job, you might be getting involved in the community, you might be pursuing another degree, or you might be looking for a job. And if you’re anything like I was as a new graduate, you may not be sure you’ve made the best choice for this next chapter. Or you may not have made a choice at all, and that’s OK! What’s pretty great, and a little scary, is that the choices are yours, and yours alone, to make.

But this is a commencement speech, and that means two things. First, even though the choices ahead are all yours, I’m going to give you some pearly bits of wisdom from an old Gen Xer. And second, SINCE it’s a commencement speech, you’ll almost surely have forgotten those pearly bits by tomorrow.

So, I revert to, “Hey listen, it’s up to you, just follow your gut.” Well actually, that’s if your gut is curious about what you are good at. Because my real advice is to follow your competence. That’s my first pearly shiny bit of wisdom. Follow your competence. Figure out what you enjoy, because you are good at it, and then do more of it. I’ll come back to that one.

The second? Don’t worry about it. Really. If you are wondering if your first thing out of school will take you in the right direction, I’m here to tell you not to sweat it. Because the journey is all about figuring it out.

Try to remember this for the sake of your own mental health. You can spend the entire next decade exploring what you enjoy doing — and what you are good at — and still not fall behind. I know, I know, we’re all type-A business students who overthink everything. But I mean it. We all put so much pressure on ourselves and think, man, this first thing right out of school … right now … is going to determine the whole road ahead. I better get this exactly right. And you know what? It’s just not the case.

There are SO many examples to back me up on this. Successful people who discovered their thing in their 30s and 40s. Today, you already have a solid sense of your own strengths and what you like doing … and your first step will help reaffirm that. But if not, you’ll just try again … and that’s OK, too!

Now let me go back to following your competence. Some people may tell you to just “follow your passions,” but I think that’s only part of the answer, because we often learn our passions over time.

Here’s the thing — I know people who are really great tax attorneys. Do you think they were passionate about taxes in college? I started my career marketing toothpaste. Let me tell you, I didn’t go into toothpaste because it was my passion. I went into it because I had a sense that I might be GOOD AT — and enjoy — marketing, and the company I went to was an ideal place to develop marketing skills. I’m pretty sure the best tax attorneys are people who discovered that the math and logic of it, or the client advocacy, were things they could thrive in. And you know what? Thriving is enjoyable. Most people I know who have found true career satisfaction have discovered something they’re good at. They have followed their competence. And it became a passion.

When we do more of the stuff we’re good at, we find ourselves getting better and better. We feel satisfied. We get positive feedback from others. This opens doors, and the potential for a cycle of success and satisfaction follows. That’s what following your competence is all about.

But here’s the asterisk (because there are always asterisks in life!): I’m not saying we should shy away from things outside of our comfort zones. We don’t always find our competence and true skills by playing it safe. So … take risks, try things. And remember to ask “What if” and “Why not?” a lot!

In 2011, I threw myself into flying airplanes and seaplanes just because it was a challenge, and I suspected it might be something I’d be able to get good at and enjoy. The whole appeal of it was that it was hard, at least at first. Some people pursue golf for the same reason, although why, I have no idea.

SO, yeah, take risks, try things, be curious, and along the way, my advice is this: Pay attention to what you find you’re good at. Your competence. Develop those skills. Invest in them. Not just because it might bring you success, but because it might bring you joy.

Now that we’ve covered my two main pearly bits of wisdom, I have some practical, real-world bits to share, too. I’m calling them my “10 partially plagiarized nuggets” from the so-called wisdom of my 54 years. Ready?

At a buffet, the salad’s always first. It’s a trap. Don’t fall for it. They want to fill your plate with cheap lettuce. Hold out for the good stuff.When someone offers to shake your hand, stand up, and look them in the eye. It’s a simple sign of respect. That’s one of my favorites.If you are panic flossing and brushing the night before your dentist appointment, you’re doing it wrong.If you have drinks with co-workers, drink less than the boss. I learned that one the hard way in my 20s.Sunscreen sucks. Wear it anyway. I learned that one the hard way in my 40s.If someone cooks for you, do the dishes or help with them. You’ll be amazed how far this one takes you. Or so I’m told.If you ask someone their name, and this one’s hard, I know, actually listen to their answer. Crazy, right?Make your bed. I’m not kidding. There’s a whole speech on this one. You can Google it. But seriously, make your bed. It starts your day off right.Be curious. Listen to this hack: Ask people about themselves, and then follow up with more genuine questions when they answer. You’ll be amazed how far this one simple trait can take you.Finally, if someone offers you a mint, go ahead and take it. You’re welcome.

And here’s one for the parents. Fire your kids from your wireless plans this very afternoon, before they suck your bank accounts dry! Don’t worry though, graduates, T-Mobile is here for you with open arms!

OK everyone, I hope my main points struck a chord. Follow your competence: You’ll find you enjoy and thrive at the things you are good at. And second: Don’t worry about it too much right now. You’ll be fine. Give yourself a break — you aren’t falling behind, you’ll figure it out, and sometimes it just takes a few tries at asking “What if” and “Why not?” So, walk out those doors at the end of this session and chart your own course, and define your own version of success. I can’t wait to see where the “what ifs” and “why nots” take you.

Congratulations to the Class of ’23!!

Watch the full speech here.

Originally published by Ericsson

Kim Arrington Johnson, Principal Analyst

Bhushan Joshi, Head of Sustainability & Corporate Responsibility for Ericsson in Market Area North America

Communication Service Providers (CSP) want to monetize 5G networks, and they also want to work with partners that are reducing network energy use and minimizing their impact on the environment.The ABI Research Sustainability Assessment for telco network technology suppliers scored over 80 vendors on a comprehensive list of criteria, providing an in-depth view of companies that can best support CSPs in their drive toward sustainability.Using data from the ABI Research 5G and Sustainable Technologies groups, direct interviews, and questionnaires, ABI Research selected Ericsson as the #1 overall “Most Sustainable Telco Vendor,” due to scoring highly in the areas of Net Zero climate targets, product energy management, network energy performance, sustainable manufacturing, and ability to scale impact.

Introduction

ABI Research has provided a comprehensive framework for highlighting sustainability challenges and initiatives across the telecommunications industry. According to the Carbon Disclosure Project (CDP), roughly two-thirds of the overall carbon footprint for a Mobile Network Operator (MNO) comes from Scope 3 emissions (e.g., purchases of upstream goods and services and downstream energy use of mobile devices), while one-third of operator emission totals are comprised of a company’s own emissions, mostly from the electricity used to power their networks. Understanding these major sources for telco carbon emissions, ABI Research identified key action items for a telco operator to take for reducing its carbon emissions and overall environmental impact:

Switch to renewable energy for purchased electricity.Migrate to 5G.Invest in latest generation massive MIMO (Multiple-Input, Multiple-Output (mMIMO) technologies.Implement eco-design requirements for network equipment (e.g., lightweight, modular, compact).Purchase energy efficient network equipment.Recycle or reuse network equipment and e-waste, such as copper cables, network equipment, mobile phones, and other devices.Implement Artificial Intelligence (AI)-enabled software across the network for network optimization, anomaly detection, and dynamic optimization of the Radio Access Network (RAN) performance based on data traffic and network loads.Adopt digital twin technologies for network asset planning, field operations, and customer mapping.

In a follow-on study, Sustainability Assessment: Telco Technology Suppliers, ABI Research looked further into the telco supply chain—evaluating more than 80 global vendors providing network infrastructure and equipment for sustainable impact and implementation. Impact is defined as the innovation and advanced features of the technologies for reducing carbon emissions or waste, while implementation reflects the ability to scale impact (quantified by market share, regional rollout, number of partnerships, number of licenses, etc.) The sustainability assessment scored each vendor on a comprehensive list of criteria, providing a matrixed view of the ecosystem of companies that can best support a telco in their drive toward improved sustainability.

In the first phase of evaluation, suppliers and vendors were assessed within nine equipment categories, including massive MIMO, 5G RAN, 5G Open-RAN, on-site renewable energy, free cooling, liquid cooling, AI-driven software, antenna solutions, and 5G cloud-native platforms. The scores for each category were then rolled up into an overall assessment of telecom sector providers, grouped by similar companies, including Traditional Vendors, Non-Traditional Vendors, Chipset and Component Vendors, and Software Vendors. The companies with the greatest ability to move the needle for reducing carbon emissions and waste across the entire telecommunications supply chain received the highest scores in the sustainability assessment.

In the ABI Research Sustainability Assessment, Ericsson was recognized as the “Most Sustainable Telco Vendor” out of more than 80 vendors for both impact and implementation.

Ericsson finished in first place overall and first place for impact and implementation out of more than 80 companies assessed. Ericsson achieved the designation of “Most Sustainable Telco Vendor,” due to scoring highly in Net Zero climate targets, product energy management, network energy performance, sustainable manufacturing, and ability to scale impact.   

Net Zero Climate Targets

As part of the scoring process, ABI Research assessed each vendor for its overall sustainability strategy and Net Zero climate commitments. The technology providers in the study ranged from having no published climate mitigation or carbon reduction goals to companies, such as Ericsson, with verified science-based targets for Scopes 1, 2, and 3 emissions. By 2040, Ericsson aims to reach Net Zero greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions across its value chain. The company has also committed to reduce emissions in the supply chain and portfolio by 50% and to being Net Zero in its own operations by 2030.

Ericsson also received high scores for what ABI Research considers “next level” Net Zero ambition, or when a company uses its sector-wide influence to request or encourage others in the supply chain to reduce their carbon emissions. With that, Ericsson has set a supplier climate target requesting that 350 strategic suppliers publicly set their own 1.5°C aligned climate targets, halving their carbon emissions by 2030. 

Product Energy Management

Studies estimate that up to 80% of a product’s environmental impact is determined during the design phase, and to verify the company’s critical focus on Product Energy Management and optimal design (maximizing 5G performance while minimizing energy use), ABI Research met directly with Ericsson’s Head of Sustainability and Head of Energy Performance, in addition to other product representatives. In comparing vendors for the sustainability assessment, Ericsson came in first place for impact, leading the massive MIMO and 5G RAN (radio access network) categories for optimizing equipment weight, size, and energy consumption while also securing first place in massive MIMO, 5G RAN, Antenna Solutions, and AI-driven software for implementation (e.g., number of live 5G networks, global market share, etc.) To support the ranking, Ericsson’s massive MIMO technologies have up to 50% improved energy efficiency compared to earlier generation equipment, while its basebands are 30% to 60% more efficient than competition at the same capacity.

After consolidating energy reduction data from multiple vendors, ABI Research attributes Ericsson’s close co-design of Ericsson Silicon, hardware, and software as key to its Product Energy Management leadership. The Ericsson Silicon range of chips are custom-made for mobile networks versus general purpose, and they span across the Ericsson Radio System, including RAN compute, radio, and transport functionalities. With 93.5% of Ericsson’s total carbon footprint coming from “Portfolio use of equipment,” a strong focus on next generation chip innovation and energy reduction should not only equate to savings in OPEX for CSPs but also contribute to breaking the 5G energy curve and reducing carbon emissions for Ericsson and its customers, while supporting data traffic growth

Ericsson did not lead in all equipment categories in the assessment. Other competing vendors had innovative and sustainable technology solutions for base station liquid cooling and on-site renewable energy, for example. ABI Research also assessed 16 Open RAN vendors for impact and implementation, and it was determined that traditional vendors like Ericsson are currently in the best overall position to address the sustainability needs of the telecom industry (though this could change with further OpenRAN integration and technological advancement.) 

Network Energy Performance

In recent years, major network operators have set clear and ambitious targets for mitigating climate change. So, how will these MNOs achieve Net Zero? In a concise summary: renewable energy, energy reduction (across the networks), and carbon offsets only for emission technically unfeasible to eliminate. Understanding this focus and a need for more energy efficient networks, Ericsson has established the ambition to design new sites that reduce energy consumption by 40% by 2025. With renewable electricity powering the site, carbon emissions reductions per site can be up to 70%.

Moreover, in addition to designing more energy efficient equipment, Ericsson is continuing to develop and test artificial intelligence (AI) and advanced analytics solutions. There are numerous 5G use cases for AI-enabled and data-driven networks. Ericsson highlights two popular AI-use cases for customers, including 5G key performance indicator (KPI) degradation (notifying operators of potential performance issues hours in advance) and advanced root cause analysis of a network. From a sustainability perspective, both can better enable remote operations while reducing transportation emissions of site visits. The further testing and evaluation of AI-enabled 5G power savings features (PSFs) with automated sleep and shutdown modes can also reduce energy use. Through various global trials of AI/analytics software, Ericsson has assessed that CSPs can achieve roughly 15% reductions in energy-related operational expenditure (OPEX), an approximate 15% reduction in site visits (related to passive equipment), and an approximate 30% reduction in energy-related outages.

Ericsson also scored well for its future research and development (R&D) in expanding data-driven networks to using machine learning (explained as the “how”) and machine reasoning (explained as the “what”) for allowing MNOs to potentially enable even higher levels of customer service (i.e., prioritize these customers with stringent 5G performance requirements) while intelligently managing their energy use.

Sustainable Manufacturing

In 2021, Ericsson’s 5G factory in Lewisville, TX, USA, was awarded by the World Economic Forum (WEF) a second time for leadership in Fourth Industrial Revolution (4IR) manufacturing, and it was named a “Sustainability Lighthouse” for leveraging digital technology beyond productivity to sustainability. Ericsson’s 5G factory is powered 100% from renewable electricity both from on-site solar generation and certified green electricity from the utility grid, and the site uses 24% less energy and 75% less water than an equivalent building.

To make that happen, Ericsson has installed 1,646 solar panels, which produce electricity from direct sunlight and from light reflected from the ground, making them 30% more efficient than typical solar panels. To reduce freshwater consumption, the factory has 40,000-gallon (151,415 liter) rainwater tanks to ensure that all available sources are collected during Texas downpours. The tanks, in addition to high efficiency water fixtures, enable the significant water use reductions. Finally, to reduce energy consumption, especially during peak hours of the day, Ericsson installed thermal ice storage tanks. In these tanks, ice is produced at night, when demand is lower and electricity is cheaper, and then used to cool the factory during the day. The factory has also achieved Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Gold certification, which requires a high level of scoring that is typically associated with office and residential buildings and not factories. 

Ability to Scale Impact

Questionnaires and global market data from the ABI Research 5G Group helped to verify which vendors have the greatest ability to scale impact across the telecom sector. For example, strong implementation vendors have the most live 5G networks, the highest market share by region, the largest number of partners, contracts, and software licenses, etc. Ericsson finished #1 overall for implementation, with more than 125 live 5G networks and 50% of global 5G traffic (excluding China) carried on Ericsson networks. For scaling impact, Ericsson also offers products in numerous equipment categories (indicating a larger reach across the entire telecom sector), including massive MIMO, 5G RAN, Open RAN, AI-driven Software, Antenna Solutions, and 5G telco cloud-native platforms.

Conclusion

In all, the combination of a Net Zero-focused company, using sustainable manufacturing processes to make lightweight, compact, and energy-efficient products, while scaling those products across a large global market share, added up to make Ericsson ABI Research’s “Most Sustainable Telco Vendor.”

ABI Research Sustainability Assessment report – Ericsson

Originally published on Principal Financial Group News Room

How do people know who you are?

Some cues are obvious—hair color and height, for example—but others, less so. Say, for example, that you’re married. If you wear a wedding ring, that presents a sign to others. If you don’t, strangers may make a quick (and potentially inaccurate) assumption about your relationship status.

Now, imagine being a member of the LGBTQIA+ community. What assumptions might others make if they don’t know you, but you come out? And how can community allies create safer, more inclusive spaces?

For Yvonne Gonzalez, a senior associate in communications at Principal®, the latter opportunity came when a co-worker asked if she had a partner or not. It’s an ordinary-enough question asked in a more expansive way. It gave Gonzalez an inclusive opening to talk about her girlfriend of six years. “You don’t really know how people out in the world are going to respond, and if you’re a member of a marginalized community, you might not be able to say who you are,” she says. “At Principal, I’ve felt connected and comfortable.”

Challenges to safety

Safety and connections—not just during Pride month in June but beyond—have become even more important of late. In 2023 alone, nearly 500 anti-LGBTQIA+ bills were proposed or passed, targeting everything from gender information on birth certificates to nondiscrimination protection and access to certain books.[1]  

The LGBTQIA+ community also faces additional barriers, including legal impediments, to financial security. For example, 37% of LGBTQIA+ households have difficulty paying for usual household expenses, versus 26% of non-LGBTQIA+ adults.[2] Some employers still don’t offer health insurance to same-sex spouses.[3] More than one in four transgender people reported losing a job due to bias.[4] Same-sex couples that decide to pursue parenthood generally experience higher medical and legal fees throughout the process.[5] 

Fears for the future

Cal Solverson, who identifies as transgender/non-binary and uses they/them pronouns, describes coming out as a never-ending process. They were outed as gay in high school by a classmate and came out a second time in college as trans. “When I came out as trans, I finally had the vocabulary I was missing my entire life to understand myself,” says Solverson, a plan reporting specialist at Principal.

Many of the assumptions that people take for granted—pronouns, for example—aren’t ones that Solverson can rely on. “I know I need to say ‘Hi, my name is Cal, I use they/them pronouns’ to protect myself and help people address me correctly,” they say.

Anti-trans legislation enacted in 2023 in Iowa, Solverson’s home and the Principal headquarters, has unmoored them even more. “Coming out as trans was a lot scarier than coming out as gay because I felt like being gay was starting to become acceptable in society—and I don’t necessarily feel the same way about being trans, especially recently,” Solverson says.

Inclusion in progress

Principal has a long history of supporting the LGBTQIA+ community. That includes:

Advocating in 2006 for legislation to expand Iowa’s Civil Rights Act to include gender identity and sexual orientation as protected classes, in addition to race, sex, age, national origin, creed, religion, and disability status. The legislation was signed into law on the Principal campus.Achieving a 100% score on the Human Rights Campaign Foundation’s Equality Index every year since 2016.Being named the 2022 Forbes list of Best Employers for Diversity.Signing on to the CEO Action for Diversity and Inclusion Signatory and Business Coalition for the Equality Act.Creating a supplier diversity program to actively support and facilitate the purchase of products and services from businesses owned or operated by individuals representing people of color, women, members of the LGBTQIA+ community, veterans, or individuals with different abilities.

In recent years, Principal has also committed to addressing and updating its diversity, equity, and inclusion approach. That includes identifying and hiring champions and advocates at every leadership level, such as a chief inclusion officer.

That doesn’t mean the work is done, though. “It’s hard to navigate being queer, to make people see me for who I am and understand the implications that come with my identity,” Solverson says.

Celebrating history, searching for joy

One workplace connection Solverson relies on is the Principal LGBTQIA+ employee resource group; its members continue to grapple with the legislative landscape, support one another, and remind allies of their critical role. “The LGBTQIA+ ERG is one of the most intersectional communities—we get to hear about different people with different identities outside of being LGBTQIA+ and how they navigate queerness at the same time,” Solverson says.

How to improve your allyship

Asking these questions of members of the LGBTQIA+ community can help:

What’s one thing I can do to be a better ally?What are your pronouns?How can I support you at work?Do you have suggestions for how I can counteract any homophobic or transphobic comments I hear?

June, and with it Pride month, arrives for Gonzalez and Solverson at a somber moment. “A lot of us don’t feel safe,” Gonzalez says. “Not being yourself is draining, and to me, Pride means being able to celebrate yourself and be who you are safely.”

But there is also joy to be found. “I want to celebrate those who made sure I could celebrate in the first place as a form of thanks,” Solverson says. “Thanks for putting your lives at risk, for fighting to make sure we can live authentically. Pride perpetuates that: We’re here to stay.”

CTA

Learn more about how you can develop your own career a Principal.com/careers.

Disclosures

2922451-052023

[1] ACLU
[2] US Census
[3] Kaiser Family Foundation
[4] National Center for Transgender Equality
[5] Family Equality

This June, more than 900 finance, investment and sustainability professionals will convene in Boston for GreenFin 23 — the premier sustainable finance and investing event. Join the growing GreenFin community today to support the just transition to a decarbonized economy.

Register by June 23 and apply the 10% discount code 3BLGF23 to save $500 off the Final Rate.

Meet the speakers: Learn from and network with industry experts providing their valuable insights and perspectives on sustainable financial products and services. Featured speakers include:

Davida Heller, Director, Head of Sustainability Strategy – CitiRob Bradley, Managing Director, Climate Change and Sustainability Services – EYLaura Draucker, Director, Corporate Climate Emissions – Ceres, Inc. Kristen Sullivan, Partner, Audit & Assurance – Deloitte

Can’t Miss Sessions: Participate in more than 80 inspiring sessions within the GreenFin 23 program. Featured sessions include:

Banking on Net Zero: Proper Transition PlanningIs Climate Risk Already Priced Into Markets?Financing the Transition: The Path From Carbon-intensive to Carbon-freeThe Role of Private Equity in Decarbonizing Transitioning AssetsAccelerating Forest and Nature Investment: The Forest Investor Club

Seadrift site’s power and steam needs match capabilities of X-energy’s Xe-100 small modular reactorDow and X-energy to prepare and submit Construction Permit applications to the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory CommissionProject expected to be complete by the end of the decade

MIDLAND, Mich. and ROCKVILLE, Md., June 6, 2023 /3BL Media/ – Dow (NYSE: DOW), the world’s leading materials science company, and X-Energy Reactor Company, LLC (“X-energy”), a leading developer of advanced nuclear reactors and fuel technology for clean energy generation, announced today that Dow has selected its UCC1 Seadrift Operations manufacturing site (“Seadrift or the “site”) in Texas for its proposed advanced small modular reactor (“SMR”) nuclear project. The project is focused on providing the Seadrift site with safe, reliable, zero carbon emissions power and steam as existing energy and steam assets near their end-of-life.

Dow and X-energy previously announced their entry into a joint development agreement (“JDA”) to install an advanced SMR nuclear plant at an industrial site in North America. The U.S. Department of Energy (“DOE”) named Dow a sub-awardee under X-energy’s Advanced Reactor Demonstration Program (“ARDP”) Cooperative Agreement. The JDA provides for up to $50 million in engineering work, up to half of which is eligible to be funded through ARDP, and the other half by Dow.

The project is expected to reduce the Seadrift site’s emissions by approximately 440,000 MT CO2e/year. Dow and X-energy will now prepare and submit a Construction Permit application to the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (“NRC”), an important milestone to bringing the project to fruition. Construction on the four-reactor project is expected to begin in 2026 and to be completed by the end of this decade.

Dow’s Seadrift site covers 4,700 acres and manufactures more than 4 billion pounds of materials per year used across a wide variety of applications including food packaging and preservation, footwear, wire and cable insulation, solar cell membranes, and packaging for medical and pharmaceutical products.

X-energy was selected by the DOE in 2020 to develop, license, build, and demonstrate an operational advanced reactor and fuel fabrication facility by the end of the decade. Since that award, X-energy has completed the engineering and basic design of the nuclear reactor, has begun development and licensing of a fuel fabrication facility in Oak Ridge, Tennessee, and is now working with Dow to prepare applications to the NRC for Construction Permits at the Seadrift site.

Attributable quotes: 
Jim Fitterling, Dow chairman and CEO

“Advanced nuclear has attractive advantages over other sources of clean power, including a compact footprint, competitive cost, and enhanced power and steam reliability. The Seadrift site plays an important role in further advancing Dow’s sustainability goals, as evidenced by our increasing growth and investment at the site. We are excited to have the support of our local community, the DOE, and State of Texas as we progress on this important project.””Our advanced nuclear project is another example of Dow leading the way and showing industry the path toward a lower carbon future. Alongside Dow’s key decarbonize and grow projects in Alberta and Terneuzen, as well as our circularity projects around the globe, we are positioned to drive growth by delivering sustainable products.” 

Clay Sell, X-energy CEO

“X-energy will deliver our innovative technology to the Texas Gulf Coast to efficiently and reliably decarbonize the Seadrift Site’s heat and power assets. We will showcase the unique versatility and wide range of applications of the Xe-100 advanced small modular nuclear reactor for energy production and manufacturing. This project will serve as a model for how we can decarbonize processes to create the products relied upon by people all over the world.” 

Governor Greg Abbott, The State of Texas

“Texas is the energy capital of the world, and Dow and X-energy’s decision to choose Texas as the location for their new SMR nuclear plant is a testament to our state’s exceptional business climate and history of innovation in this critical industry,” said Governor Greg Abbott. “This SMR project further cements Texas’ position as a global energy leader and will bring good-paying jobs and more economic opportunity to hardworking Texans in the Coastal Bend. I look forward to working with Dow and X-energy as we continue to unleash the full potential of our state’s mighty energy industry.” 

Judge Richard Meyer, Calhoun County Judge

“We are excited that Dow has chosen its Seadrift site for this innovative technology and investment. Calhoun County welcomes this economic development and we appreciate Dow and X-energy’s willingness to engage the community regarding the benefits and safety of the project.” 

Dow 
Dow (NYSE: DOW) combines global breadth; asset integration and scale; focused innovation and materials science expertise; leading business positions; and environmental, social and governance leadership to achieve profitable growth and help deliver a sustainable future. The Company’s ambition is to become the most innovative, customer centric, inclusive and sustainable materials science company in the world. Dow’s portfolio of plastics, industrial intermediates, coatings and silicones businesses delivers a broad range of differentiated, science-based products and solutions for its customers in high-growth market segments, such as packaging, infrastructure, mobility and consumer applications. Dow operates manufacturing sites in 31 countries and employs approximately 37,800 people. Dow delivered sales of approximately $57 billion in 2022. References to Dow or the Company mean Dow Inc. and its subsidiaries. For more information, please visit www.dow.com or follow @DowNewsroom on Twitter.

Cautionary Statement about Forward-Looking Statements

Certain statements in this press release are “forward-looking statements” within the meaning of the federal securities laws, including Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended. Such statements often address expected future business and financial performance, financial condition, and other matters, and often contain words or phrases such as “anticipate,” “believe,” “estimate,” “expect,” “intend,” “may,” “opportunity,” “outlook,” “plan,” “project,” “seek,” “should,” “strategy,” “target,” “will,” “will be,” “will continue,” “will likely result,” “would” and similar expressions, and variations or negatives of these words or phrases.

Forward-looking statements are based on current assumptions and expectations of future events that are subject to risks, uncertainties and other factors that are beyond Dow’s control, which may cause actual results to differ materially from those projected, anticipated or implied in the forward-looking statements and speak only as of the date the statements were made. These factors include, but are not limited to: sales of Dow’s products; Dow’s expenses, future revenues and profitability; the continuing global and regional economic impacts of the coronavirus disease 2019 (“COVID-19”) pandemic and other public health-related risks and events on Dow’s business; any sanctions, export restrictions, supply chain disruptions or increased economic uncertainty related to the ongoing conflict between Russia and Ukraine; capital requirements and need for and availability of financing; unexpected barriers in the development of technology, including with respect to Dow’s contemplated capital and operating projects; Dow’s ability to realize its commitment to carbon neutrality on the contemplated timeframe; size of the markets for Dow’s products and services and ability to compete in such markets; failure to develop and market new products and optimally manage product life cycles; the rate and degree of market acceptance of Dow’s products; significant litigation and environmental matters and related contingencies and unexpected expenses; the success of competing technologies that are or may become available; the ability to protect Dow’s intellectual property in the United States and abroad; developments related to contemplated restructuring activities and proposed divestitures or acquisitions such as workforce reduction, manufacturing facility and/or asset closure and related exit and disposal activities, and the benefits and costs associated with each of the foregoing; fluctuations in energy and raw material prices; management of process safety and product stewardship; changes in relationships with Dow’s significant customers and suppliers; changes in consumer preferences and demand; changes in laws and regulations, political conditions or industry development; global economic and capital markets conditions, such as inflation, market uncertainty, interest and currency exchange rates, and equity and commodity prices; business or supply disruptions; security threats, such as acts of sabotage, terrorism or war, including the ongoing conflict between Russia and Ukraine; weather events and natural disasters; and disruptions in Dow’s information technology networks and systems; and risks related to Dow’s separation from DowDuPont Inc. such as Dow’s obligation to indemnify DuPont de Nemours, Inc. and/or Corteva, Inc. for certain liabilities.

Where, in any forward-looking statement, an expectation or belief as to future results or events is expressed, such expectation or belief is based on the current plans and expectations of management and expressed in good faith and believed to have a reasonable basis, but there can be no assurance that the expectation or belief will result or be achieved or accomplished. A detailed discussion of principal risks and uncertainties which may cause actual results and events to differ materially from such forward-looking statements is included in the section titled “Risk Factors” contained in the Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2022 and the Company’s subsequent Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q. These are not the only risks and uncertainties that Dow faces. There may be other risks and uncertainties that Dow is unable to identify at this time or that Dow does not currently expect to have a material impact on its business. If any of those risks or uncertainties develops into an actual event, it could have a material adverse effect on Dow’s business. Dow Inc. and TDCC assume no obligation to update or revise publicly any forward-looking statements whether because of new information, future events, or otherwise, except as required by securities and other applicable laws.

About X-Energy Reactor Company, LLC

X-Energy Reactor Company, LLC, is a leading developer of advanced small modular nuclear reactors and fuel technology for clean energy generation that is redefining the nuclear energy industry through its development of safer and more efficient reactors and proprietary fuel to deliver reliable, zero-carbon and affordable energy to people around the world. X-energy’s simplified, modular, and intrinsically safe SMR design expands applications and markets for deployment of nuclear technology and drives enhanced safety, lower cost and faster construction timelines when compared with other SMRs and conventional nuclear. For more information, visit X-energy.com or connect with us on Twitter or LinkedIn.

As previously announced on December 6, 2022, X-energy entered into a definitive business combination agreement with Ares Acquisition Corporation (NYSE: AAC) (“AAC”), a publicly-traded special purpose acquisition company. Upon the closing of the transaction, which is expected to be completed in the summer of 2023, the combined company will be named X-Energy, Inc. and its common equity securities and warrants are expected to be listed on the New York Stock Exchange.

Completion of the transaction is subject to approval by AAC’s shareholders, the Registration Statement being declared effective by the SEC, and other customary closing conditions.

About Ares Acquisition Corporation

AAC is a special purpose acquisition company (SPAC) affiliated with Ares Management Corporation, formed for the purpose of effecting a merger, share exchange, asset acquisition, share purchase, reorganization or similar business combination. AAC is seeking to pursue an initial business combination target in any industry or sector in North America, Europe or Asia. For more information about AAC, please visit www.aresacquisitioncorporation.com.

Additional Information and Where to Find It

In connection with the business combination (the “Business Combination”) with X-energy, AAC filed a registration statement on Form S-4 on January 25, 2023, as amended by Amendment No. 1 thereto, filed on March 24, 2023 (the “Registration Statement”) with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”), which includes a preliminary proxy statement/prospectus to be distributed to holders of AAC’s ordinary shares in connection with AAC’s solicitation of proxies for the vote by AAC’s shareholders with respect to the Business Combination and other matters as described in the Registration Statement, as well as a prospectus relating to the offer of securities to be issued to X-energy equity holders in connection with the Business Combination. After the Registration Statement has been declared effective, AAC will mail a copy of the definitive proxy statement/prospectus, when available, to its shareholders. The Registration Statement includes information regarding the persons who may, under the SEC rules, be deemed participants in the solicitation of proxies to AAC’s shareholders in connection with the Business Combination. AAC will also file other documents regarding the Business Combination with the SEC. BEFORE MAKING ANY VOTING DECISION, INVESTORS AND SECURITY HOLDERS OF AAC AND X-ENERGY ARE URGED TO READ THE REGISTRATION STATEMENT, THE PROXY STATEMENT/PROSPECTUS CONTAINED THEREIN, AND ALL OTHER RELEVANT DOCUMENTS FILED OR THAT WILL BE FILED WITH THE SEC IN CONNECTION WITH THE BUSINESS COMBINATION AS THEY BECOME AVAILABLE BECAUSE THEY WILL CONTAIN IMPORTANT INFORMATION ABOUT THE BUSINESS COMBINATION.

Investors and security holders will be able to obtain free copies of the Registration Statement, the proxy statement/prospectus and all other relevant documents filed or that will be filed with the SEC by AAC through the website maintained by the SEC at www.sec.gov. In addition, the documents filed by AAC may be obtained free of charge from AAC’s website at www.aresacquisitioncorporation.com or by written request to AAC at Ares Acquisition Corporation, 245 Park Avenue, 44th Floor, New York, NY 10167.

Forward Looking Statements

This press release contains certain forward-looking statements within the meaning of the federal securities laws with respect to the Business Combination, including statements regarding the benefits of the Business Combination, the anticipated timing of the Business Combination, the markets in which X-energy operates and X-energy’s projected future results. X-energy’s actual results may differ from its expectations, estimates and projections (which, in part, are based on certain assumptions) and consequently, you should not rely on these forward-looking statements as predictions of future events. Words such as “expect,” “estimate,” “project,” “budget,” “forecast,” “anticipate,” “intend,” “plan,” “may,” “will,” “could,” “should,” “believes,” “predicts,” “potential,” “continue,” and similar expressions are intended to identify such forward-looking statements. Although these forward-looking statements are based on assumptions that X-energy and AAC believe are reasonable, these assumptions may be incorrect. These forward-looking statements also involve significant risks and uncertainties that could cause the actual results to differ materially from the expected results. Factors that may cause such differences include, but are not limited to: (1) the outcome of any legal proceedings that may be instituted in connection with any proposed business combination; (2) the inability to complete any proposed business combination or related transactions; (3) inability to raise sufficient capital to fund our business plan, including limitations on the amount of capital raised in any proposed business combination as a result of redemptions or otherwise; (4) delays in obtaining, adverse conditions contained in, or the inability to obtain necessary regulatory approvals or complete regulatory reviews required to complete any business combination; (5) the risk that any proposed business combination disrupts current plans and operations; (6) the inability to recognize the anticipated benefits of any proposed business combination, which may be affected by, among other things, competition, the ability of the combined company to grow and manage growth profitably, maintain relationships with customers and suppliers and retain key employees; (7) costs related to the proposed business combination; (8) changes in the applicable laws or regulations; (9) the possibility that X-energy may be adversely affected by other economic, business, and/or competitive factors; (10) the ongoing impact of the global COVID-19 pandemic; (11) economic uncertainty caused by the impacts of the conflict in Russia and Ukraine and rising levels of inflation and interest rates; (12) the ability of X-energy to obtain regulatory approvals necessary for it to deploy its small modular reactors in the United States and abroad; (13) whether government funding and/or demand for high assay low enriched uranium for government or commercial uses will materialize or continue; (14) the impact and potential extended duration of the current supply/demand imbalance in the market for low enriched uranium; (15) X-energy’s business with various governmental entities is subject to the policies, priorities, regulations, mandates and funding levels of such governmental entities and may be negatively or positively impacted by any change thereto; (16) X-energy’s limited operating history makes it difficult to evaluate its future prospects and the risks and challenges it may encounter; and (17) other risks and uncertainties separately provided to you and indicated from time to time described in filings and potential filings by X-energy, AAC or X-energy, Inc. with the SEC.

The foregoing list of factors is not exhaustive. These forward-looking statements are provided for illustrative purposes only and are not intended to serve as, and must not be relied on by investors as, a guarantee, an assurance, a prediction or a definitive statement of fact or probability. You should carefully consider the foregoing factors and the other risks and uncertainties described in the “Risk Factors” section of AAC’s Annual Report on Form 10-K, its subsequent Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q, the proxy statement/prospectus related to the transaction, when it becomes available, and other documents filed (or to be filed) by AAC from time to time with the SEC. These filings identify and address other important risks and uncertainties that could cause actual events and results to differ materially from those contained in the forward-looking statements. These risks and uncertainties may be amplified by the conflict between Russia and Ukraine, rising levels of inflation and interest rates and the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, which have caused significant economic uncertainty. Forward-looking statements speak only as of the date they are made. Investors are cautioned not to put undue reliance on forward-looking statements, and X-energy and AAC assume no obligation and do not intend to update or revise these forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events, or otherwise, except as required by securities and other applicable laws.

No Offer or Solicitation

This press release is for informational purposes only and is neither an offer to purchase, nor a solicitation of an offer to sell, subscribe for or buy, any securities or the solicitation of any vote in any jurisdiction pursuant to the Business Combination or otherwise, nor shall there be any sale, issuance or transfer of securities in any jurisdiction in contravention of applicable law. No offer of securities shall be made except by means of a prospectus meeting the requirements of Section 10 of the Securities Act.

Participants in the Solicitation

AAC and certain of its directors and executive officers may be deemed to be participants in the solicitation of proxies from AAC’s shareholders, in favor of the approval of the proposed transaction. For information regarding AAC’s directors and executive officers, please see AAC’s Annual Report on Form 10-K, its subsequent Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q, and the other documents filed (or to be filed) by AAC from time to time with the SEC. Additional information regarding the interests of those participants and other persons who may be deemed participants in the Business Combination may be obtained by reading the Registration Statement and the proxy statement/prospectus and other relevant documents filed with the SEC when they become available. Free copies of these documents may be obtained as described in the preceding paragraph.

Dow

Investors: 
ir@dow.com

Media: 
Jarrod Erpelding 
+1-989.633.1863 
jarrod.erpelding@dow.com 
or 
Kyle Bandlow 
+1-989.638.2417 
kbandlow@dow.com

X-energy

Investors: 
XenergyIR@icrinc.com

Media: 
XenergyPR@icrinc.com

Ares Acquisition Corporation

Investors: 
Carl Drake and Greg Mason 
+1-888-818-5298 
IR@AresAcquisitionCorporation.com

Media: 
Jacob Silber 
+1-212-301-0376 
media@aresmgmt.com

1 Union Carbide Corporation is a wholly-owned subsidiary of The Dow Chemical Company

SOURCE The Dow Chemical Company

In the #HowIGotHere series, you’ll read about the career paths of some of the world-renowned leaders at Yum! Brands. Learn more about Steve Plank, Chief Technology Officer of Taco Bell in this installment.

EDUCATION

Pennsbury High School, Fairless Hills, Pennsylvania, United States
(1992 –1993)Temple University, BS in Computer Science, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States (1993 – 1997)University of Southern California, MBA, Business Administration, Los Angeles, California, United States (2009 – 2011)

If we were to interview your teachers, what would they say about you?

Steve was a committed scholar and athlete who put in the work to succeed.

What did you want to be when you grew up?

I wanted to be a Major League Baseball player, specifically first baseman for the Philadelphia Phillies. Growing up in Philly and playing Little League and pick-up games in my free time made for a lot of dreaming.

WORK

First job: I started working residential construction with my dad from a very young age. I also worked a paper route when I was 12, but my first traditional job was working at JCPenney selling sneakers and sports apparel from ages 16-22.

First Consulting Group | 1997-2002: Consultant, Wayne, Pennsylvania, United StatesAmgen, Inc. | 2002-2004: Senior Programmer/Architect, Thousand Oaks, California, United StatesBaxter Healthcare | 2004-2005: Director, Regulatory Informatics, Westlake Village, California, United StatesAllergan, Inc. | 2005-2007: Director, Regulatory Information Management & Publishing, Irvine, California, United States | 2007-2010: Senior Director, Global Information Services, Irvine, California, United States | 2010-2015: Vice President, Technology Delivery, Irvine, California, United StatesTaco Bell | 2015-2016: Senior Director, Back of House Technology, Irvine, California, United States | 2016-2017: Vice President, Technology Delivery, Irvine, California, United States | 2017-present: Chief Technology Officer, Irvine, California, United States

What moments, or who, in your life influenced the way you work?

Working construction with my dad: Coming home physically exhausted and seeing how hard my dad tried to make ends meet made me realize the value of hard work. It also brought a sense of satisfaction, seeing the results of something you built. I find many parallels to that in my work with technology today.

My grandmother: She was widowed two days after I was born and was left to raise my aunt, who was a physically handicapped teenager at the time. I was always amazed by her strength and ability to overcome adversity, accept reality and move forward. I learned many lessons from her and miss the hours we spent talking on the back porch. She had a tremendous ability to put things in perspective and help me appreciate the most important things in life.

Playing sports: I played multiple sports starting at a young age and through high school. I wasn’t the biggest or the fastest, but I learned that with commitment and enough practice, you can improve in almost anything.

Do you believe in work/life balance?

I believe in balance and integration of family, friends, work, hobbies, learning and passions. That has never meant 9-5 or a predetermined split of time. Balance is fluid based on all the roles you are playing and needs at any given time. I do believe that it is critical to be fully present and focused wherever you are at. Time is our most precious commodity, and I value it more today than I did years ago. I make it a point to maximize every moment with my family and friends.

What do people think you do versus what you actually do?

I always find it funny that technology can be such a mystery. My parents think I fix computers all day (and they call me often for help).

The role at Taco Bell has been a lot of fun because it’s easier for people to understand what I do now compared to previous roles I’ve had. At this point, I consider myself a leader at the intersection of technology and business with a passion for maximizing the opportunity that innovation can deliver.

Most of my time is spent creating and evangelizing a cohesive technology strategy in support of the overall brand objectives, building the team and removing roadblocks where needed in order to deliver Yum!’s overall commitment of easy experiences, operations and insights for franchisees, customers and team members.

What is the best piece of advice that you’ve been given?

“Don’t let perfect be the enemy of better.”

What makes you happy?

Time with friends and family, and embarking on new adventures, big and small. One of my more recent joys has been the opportunity to coach my son’s sports teams (primarily baseball). When on the field, everything else in the world goes away for a few hours. It’s been amazing to be part of so many kids’ development and meet new families and friends along the way.

Originally published in Owens Corning’s 2022 Sustainability Report

At Owens Corning, sustainability is at the heart of our business, embedded in our values, and reflected in our mission to build a sustainable future through material innovation. The daily efforts of our 19,000 employees in 31 countries bring our sustainability-focused mission to life – through our innovative products and customer solutions, collaborations with a wide variety of stakeholders and partners, and our sense of responsibility to make the world a better place.

Sustainability has long been core to who we are and how we operate, and we are proud to showcase Our Mission at Work in our 17th annual sustainability report. This report highlights our ongoing aspirations to increase the positive impact of our products, halve our environmental footprint, protect our people, advance inclusion and diversity, and have a positive impact in the communities where we work and live. This is what our stakeholders and the planet need from us, and we are working every day to accomplish these ambitions.

In 2022, we took the next big step in our sustainability journey by reframing our strategic priorities as follows: Operationalizing Sustainability, Building a Circular Economy Model, Leading in Key Regions, Innovating for Decarbonization, Reinforcing Our Foundation, and Living Our Values. Against the backdrop of multiple macroeconomic challenges, we continued to accelerate our progress and attain critical milestones in each of these areas in 2022.

Our 2022 Progress

Climate change requires urgent and ongoing action, and 2022 was an important year of progress for Owens Corning. During the year, we reduced our greenhouse gas emissions by driving energy efficiency in our operations and continuing to invest in alternative forms of energy. In 2022, we achieved 100% renewable electricity through investing in a virtual power purchase agreement providing certificates of origin at our manufacturing facility in Trzemeszno, Poland, formerly the largest user of electricity within Owens Corning.

Thanks to the ongoing work of our people to decarbonize our operations, we are now approximately halfway to our Scope 1 and Scope 2 emissions reduction goal for 2030 compared with our 2018 baseline. Our goal has been verified by the Science Based Targets initiative to be in line with the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change’s pathway to limit global warming to 1.5° Celsius maximum above preindustrial levels.

Through our focus on building a circular economy, we continue to invest in further reducing waste and expanding recycling and reuse programs. This involves collaboration with our partners to create more uses and end markets for our manufacturing byproducts and end-of-life materials, including the establishment of shingle recycling programs that will help us meet our goal of recycling 2 million tons of shingles annually in the U.S. by 2030. We are also advocating for better glass recycling and reuse programs in multiple markets around the world. While waste remains an ongoing challenge in our business, and for the industry in general, we are actively pursuing additional waste reduction and recycling innovations and applications.

Taking care of our people and continuing to make Owens Corning an employer of choice are unwavering priorities. This starts with our unconditional commitment to safety. In 2022, one-half of our global sites were injury-free, and we are proud to have earned our place as one of the safest companies in the industry. Despite our achievements, we recognize there is still work to do. There is no end to our safety journey; it is a focus we bring every day to caring for one another in pursuit of our goal of an injury-free workplace. In addition, our support for health and well-being is intentionally comprehensive – with a focus on not only employees on the job but also outside of work and extending to their families.

We are also dedicated to fostering a welcoming culture where everyone is heard, valued, and respected. In 2022, we continued to work toward creating an inclusive environment for all and increasing diversity in our leadership teams and overall workforce. Our efforts include hiring practices that strategically addressdiversity, support for our affinity groups, and defined benchmarks to track our progress. We have set targets to achieve 35% representation by women (global) and 22% people of color representation (U.S.) within our leadership roles by 2030.

Beyond our own operations, we invest in our communities to make a brighter future possible for everyone. In 2022, we expanded our outreach and giving efforts to focus on creating safe and efficient housing, improving the lives of veterans and their families, promoting educational opportunities for those in need, and advancing health and wellness. This work, and more, moved us closer to realizing our 2030 goal of 100% of employees being actively engaged in their communities through company-sponsored activities.

All these actions, and our ongoing focus on impact and transparency, have resulted in several external recognitions that we are proud to share in this report. While recognition is never the aim of our activities, it reinforces the importance of the work we do. Our 2022 awards included: earning a place on the Dow Jones Sustainability World Index (DJSI World) for the 13th consecutive year, ranking No. 1 on the 100 Best Corporate Citizens list by 3BL Media for an unprecedented fourth consecutive year, and being recognized as one of the World’s Most Ethical Companies by Ethisphere® for the fifth consecutive year.

Outlook

As we look ahead to 2023 and beyond, sustainability will remain at the heart of our business and a critical value creator for us, our customers, and other stakeholders – regardless of inflationary pressures, supply chain disruptions, and other macro factors. We believe such challenges provide us with significantopportunities to differentiate our business and drive innovation in collaboration with our customers and partners.

Our 19,000 employees are at the center of our efforts to further operationalize sustainability. To all our stakeholders, thank you for your interest in Owens Corning. We are inspired by your engagement as we continue our journey to fully unlock the value of sustainability.

It is truly Our Mission at Work.

Brian Chambers 
Chair and Chief Executive Officer

David Rabuano 
Senior Vice President and Chief Sustainability Officer

Read more

Originally published in Enbridge’s 2022 Sustainability Report

CEO and Board Chair message

Energy underpins every aspect of our economy and society. At Enbridge, our mission is to deliver energy—safely, reliably, 24/7, every day of the year. And as energy sources and uses evolve our businesses remain well positioned to continue delivering.

Our focus is on what’s next, as we continue to meet the needs of our customers, host communities, investors, governments and civil society today.

Energy security and affordability

The world faces an urgent imperative to reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and transition to a lower-carbon economy. At the same time, energy demand is rising—and world events in 2022 have been a powerful reminder that energy reliability, affordability and access remain critical considerations, alongside sustainability.

Enbridge has been working with partners and policymakers to ease global supply constraints, emphasizing our both/and approach to advancing an energy strategy that accelerates investments in renewables and lower-carbon energy technologies, while also sustaining and expanding energy infrastructure that connects North American liquids and natural gas supplies to overseas markets in desperate need of affordable, reliable energy and feedstocks.

Our approach to energy transitions

Enbridge is taking a practical approach to the energy transitions happening in North America and around world by providing the energy needed today while simultaneously advancing solutions for tomorrow.

We’re bridging to a cleaner energy future by innovating across our value chain. Every part of our business is now systematically engaged in our work to meet our GHG targets. By investing in our conventional business, we are ensuring reliability, lowering our emissions, meeting our customers’ needs and through expanding North American export infrastructure we are playing a key role in lowering global emissions. We are also ramping up our efforts in lower-carbon solutions that complement our existing assets, including investing in renewables, carbon capture, hydrogen and renewable natural gas.

ESG embedded in our business

At Enbridge, the environmental, social and governance (ESG) framework has proven a useful tool to track, manage and convey to investors and other stakeholders our progress against key elements of potential business risk and opportunity. In 2020, we set ambitious goals across all aspects of E, S and G with clear pathways to achieving them. In this, our 22nd Sustainability Report, we are pleased to share progress on these goals. We have established specific plans within and across businesses and importantly, aligned our executive compensation and financing costs to ESG performance strategies advancing throughout the Company that position Enbridge to grow sustainably for many decades to come.

In 2022, we made significant progress on advancing low-carbon business opportunities, including our first-in-North America hydrogen-blending pilot project in Ontario, a second, larger hydrogen-blending project in Quebec and our proposed Wabamun Carbon Hub in Alberta, which is being advanced in partnership with First Nations and Métis nations in Alberta. We also placed into service the 480-MW Saint-Nazaire Project, France’s first commercial-scale offshore wind facility, and acquired Tri Global Energy to accelerate our renewables growth and expand our onshore development expertise.

Advancing inclusion and opportunity

At Enbridge, we intend to play an active and constructive role in fostering Indigenous engagement, inclusion and awareness across our host communities and throughout our company. In 2022, we published our Indigenous Reconciliation Action Plan, which continues our long-held commitment to strengthening relationships with Indigenous communities across North America and advancing reconciliation. This report outlines progress against those commitments as well as some recent business partnerships with Indigenous peoples, including our landmark Athabasca Indigenous Investments equity partnership with 22 First Nations, signed last fall.

We both feel incredibly honored to be leading Enbridge into the next phase of growth—and to be leading this high-performance team who share our passion for the business and our mission to be the firstchoice energy delivery company for our customers, communities, investors, stakeholders and employees.

Tomorrow is on at Enbridge.

Sincerely,

Gregory L. Ebel 
President & Chief Executive Officer

Pamela L. Carter 
Chair, Board of Directors

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