Tag: 3BL

Las Vegas Sands

In late July, Marina Bay Sands announced a donation of more than $1.1 million over three years to the Mandai Wildlife Centre, Singapore’s newest rehabilitation facility for rescued native wildlife.

The donation is one of Marina Bay Sands’ largest contributions to biodiversity conservation, reflecting the depth of its commitment to protecting wildlife and strengthening ecosystem resilience as part of its broader sustainability goals.

Operated by Mandai Nature, the nonprofit conservation arm of Mandai Wildlife Group, the center provides a purpose-built environment to improve outcomes for Singapore’s rescued native wildlife and supports research and knowledge-building in veterinary and wildlife care.

Over the next three years, Marina Bay Sands also will work with Mandai Nature to extend nature education beyond the center by developing bespoke experiences and learning opportunities for international guests and community partners to deepen their awareness of wildlife conservation and the importance of protecting biodiversity in urban environments.

“We are delighted to support partners such as Mandai Nature in protecting Singapore’s native biodiversity,” Meridith Beaujean, assistant vice president of sustainability and ESG at Marina Bay Sands, said. “As a world-leading hospitality destination, we depend on healthy environments and vibrant biodiversity to create places that people value and want to experience. Supporting the center aligns with our belief that long-term destination success and wildlife conservation are closely linked, and that the hospitality sector has a responsibility to contribute meaningfully to both.”

Marina Bay Sands’ contribution to the Mandai Wildlife Centre is the latest example of the many partnerships Sands and its regions have cultivated to advance sustainability on its properties, and promote conservation and education in its regions. The Sands ECO360 global sustainability team spearheads these relationships to address environmental topics such as emissions-reduction, water stewardship, waste reduction, incorporation of sustainable materials and resources, and biodiversity protection.

Amplifying Sustainability Through Multidisciplinary Approaches

Earlier this summer, Marina Bay Sands announced a two-year partnership with the SG Eco Fund to raise awareness and galvanize community action on environmental sustainability and climate resilience in Singapore. The partners kicked off the first initiative on June 11 with an exclusive screening of trailers that are part of the Sustainable Futures Film Festival running through Aug. 31 at ArtScience Museum.

The curated program of films explores climate change and biodiversity conservation in line with Singapore’s Year of Climate Adaptation, which draws attention to the impacts of climate change and brings together multidisciplinary approaches and voices at the intersection of art, science and sustainability.

The launch event also featured complimentary booths for recipients of the SG Eco Fund – Witteveen+Bos, Pasarfish and PUB, Singapore’s National Water Agency. These organizations showcased climate adaptation projects focused on food resilience and flood and coastal protection in Singapore. Launched in 2020, the $39 million SG Eco Fund operated by the Ministry of Sustainability and the Environment supports ground-up projects that involve the community and advance environmental sustainability in Singapore.

The two-year partnership between Marina Bay Sands and SG Eco Fund also will include interactive exhibitions centered on biodiversity and sustainability themes at ArtScience Museum. As part of these exhibitions, the resort will collaborate with SG Eco Fund grant recipients to incorporate booth, art installations, learning tours, and hands-on sustainability workshops for students and the wider public.

Partnerships to Advance Conservation through Responsible Hospitality

Marina Bay Sands also has had a long-standing partnership with World Wide Fund for Nature Singapore since 2015. What began with strengthening responsible seafood sourcing has evolved into broader initiative to drive transformation and positive outcomes throughout Marina Bay Sands’ supply chain. This effort includes traceability studies and aquaculture and fishery improvement projects across the region.

The resort currently is working with the nonprofit to explore the hospitality industry’s relationship to supply chain deforestation. The program has included a comprehensive deforestation and conversion risk assessment across Marina Bay Sands’ supply chain, focusing on high-risk commodities such as palm oil, cocoa, coffee, beef, soy, paper and timber.

Risk assessment involved reviewing procurement data; engaging suppliers to better understand sourcing practices, certifications and traceability; and establishing a baseline of potential risks and opportunities. Guided by global frameworks and best practices, the engagement focused on strengthening supply chain transparency, raising awareness of deforestation risks, and encouraging suppliers to explore pathways that reduce deforestation and promote conversion-free sourcing.

In addition, Marina Bay Sands began work with conservation nonprofit Hutan on its initiative to restore wildlife corridors across palm oil monoculture landscapes in Sabah, Malaysian Borneo, last year. Hutan’s reforestation program aims to revive habitats for endangered species.

As part of this initiative, Marina Bay Sands provided yearlong underwriting for the work of four indigenous Orang Sungei women whose salaries, benefits and operational costs were funded as part of Hutan’s reforestation team. The approach enabled continued advancement of ecosystem restoration while empowering women through sustainable income opportunities and underpins the integrated resort’s regenerative approach to hospitality.

The Drop By Drop Project

One of Sands’ longest-standing sustainability partnerships is with The WASH Foundation on The Drop By Drop Project, which provides grants for innovative water stewardship programs in Macao and Singapore to increase water resiliency, reinvigorate ecosystems, incubate new water solutions and engage the community in these areas.

The University of Saint Joseph (USJ) is the program’s current grantee in Macao. USJ’s Drop By Drop funding is supporting its Sponge City Macao project, which explores how mangrove restoration and sponge city principles can work together to create a sustainable urban water management framework for Macao. Blending research with hands-on community engagement, the project aims to boost flood resilience, improve stormwater retention and support long-term ecological balance in the city’s urban environments.

To support the greater region in and around Singapore, The Drop By Drop Project is funding two programs. Reef Check Malaysia received funding for its Mabul Clean Water Initiative, which enables safe, sustainable water access through rainwater harvesting systems for 100 low-income households on Mabul Island, Sabah. The program is designed to end dependence on costly imported water.

The Drop By Drop Project also is supporting The International SeaKeepers Society’s Orang Seletar Sungai Temon Project, which provides resources for the indigenous Orang Seletar community in its efforts to rebuild a storm-damaged community hall and undertake water quality monitoring to address declining mussel yields. Together, these phases work toward protecting the community’s cultural heritage, building local stewardship and strengthening long-term economic resilience.

Hong Kong Sustainable Seafood Coalition

Sands China has been a member of the Hong Kong Sustainable Seafood Coalition (HKSSC), which advances the sustainable seafood market in Hong Kong, Macao and the wider region through responsible sourcing practices. Most recently, Sands China supported HKSSC’s outreach efforts around World Oceans Day on June 8 by providing specially curated sustainable seafood dishes in four Sands China restaurants. Marina Bay Sands’ also supported HKSSC’s World Ocean’s Day awareness program at its signature buffet restaurant, RISE.

“We’ve aligned with these leading environmental organizations because we are committed to advancing sustainability in all aspects of our business and in our regions,” Katarina Tesarova, senior vice president and chief sustainability officer, said. “Our partners help us be a better environmental steward, while we help our partners deepen their impact and advance their missions. Our relationships have been mutually beneficial, with the ultimate goal of finding new and better ways to protect the environmental ecosystems and natural resources in our regions.”

To learn more about Sands ECO360 environmental initiatives, read Sands’ latest ESG report: https://www.sands.com/resources/reports/.

Virtual Event

Thursday, October 22, 2026
12:00 PM – 1:00 PM ET

Cash flow problems cause more small business failures than any other factor, even for profitable companies.

In this Key4Entrepreneurs session, we will help small business owners better understand how cash actually moves through their business, how to forecast future cash needs, and how to build stronger financial stability.

This session will cover:

• The difference between profit and cash flow
• Common cash flow traps by business type
• How to build a 13-week cash flow forecast
• Strategies to optimize cash inflows and manage outflows
• Warning signs of cash flow stress and how to respond early

Join us for a practical discussion designed to help small business owners improve visibility, reduce uncertainty, and build healthier financial operations.

For more information, contact k4e@keybank.com

Registration required by Tuesday, October 20, 2026

Register Today

Key4Entrepreneurs
Engage, Educate, Empower

Lori Shao
CEO & Founder Finli Inc.

Lori Shao is Founder and CEO of Finli, a venture-backed Certified B Corp that helps nonprofits, credit unions, and banks better support small businesses. With more than 20 years of experience in financial services, including 16+ years in banking leadership across payments, treasury management, and portfolio growth, Lori is a dedicated advocate for small business owners. Outside of work, she is a proud mom of two children and caretaker to eleven animals.

_{The content provided is intended solely for informational and educational purposes. It should not be interpreted as financial, investment, or legal advice. We make no guarantees regarding its accuracy or relevance to your specific circumstances. Some examples are hypothetical and provided for illustrative purposes only. For guidance tailored to your personal financial situation, we strongly recommend consulting qualified professionals regarding all personal financial matters.}

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As previously seen on the CSRHub blog.

By Cynthia Figge

In 2021, CSRHub CEO Cynthia Figge sat on a CPOstrategy Podcast panel with three other CEOs to talk about a decade of digital transformation in procurement. Five years on, the arguments have not aged. They have become the default view. Here are the passages that hold up best, each with its clip.

View the CPOstrategy panel image.

1. ESG is financial

Cynthia Figge (portrait)
CEO and Cofounder, CSRHub

The line that has aged best. Sustainability data used to be a standalone dataset that finance teams did not know how to use:

“Companies haven’t quite understood how do we now bring in what used to be called non-financial, and what I think everyone now understands is clearly ESG is financial. But how do we actually integrate that?”

Watch the clip: Video (28:42) · Moment in the full conversation.

2. Dark data

Most of a supply chain is small companies that publish very little about how they perform. Cynthia called it dark data, and named the two ways to see into it:

“One of the challenges, at least from a sustainability point of view, is what we’ve called dark data: that many smaller suppliers actually do not reveal very much about how they’re performing. There’s two ways to get at that. One is self-disclosure or self-reported data. The other is to collect third-party, outside data.”

Watch the clip: Video (14:21) · Moment in the full conversation.

That second route is what CSRHub is built on. It is also why, at 29:38, she names climate change and Scope 3 as the pressure that will force better supply-chain data. We looked at how much that data varies by source in Scope 1, 2 and 3 Carbon Measurements Show Big Variations Among Data Sources.

3. Screening before the bad event

ESG data used to be backward-looking: something bad happens, then the news ripples through the supply chain. The change the panel described is companies wanting environment, social and governance performance up front, so they can screen for risk before the event, not after it.

Watch the clip: Video (21:17) · Moment in the full conversation.

See CSRHub’s solution for supply chains

4. Board diversity as a supplier metric

In 2021 it was surprising that a customer would scrutinise a supplier’s board diversity as a key performance indicator, and that suppliers would be asked to conform to the UN Global Compact and the SDGs. Today it is a standard questionnaire item.

Watch the clip: Video (35:16) · Moment in the full conversation.

5. Another CEO, same conclusion

Lance Younger (portrait)
CEO and Founder, ProcureTech

Asked for his own closing priority, Lance Younger did not pick a technology:

“Right now I’m kind of all in behind Cynthia, and anything and everything that’s related to sustainability in the broadest sense of the word. Many organisations will find their own level with regards to what’s the best data for them, but I think we need to over-index.”

Watch the clip: Video (41:18) · Moment in the full conversation.

The full conversation

The panel: Cynthia Figge (CEO and Cofounder, CSRHub), Ilya Levtov (Co-founder and CEO, Craft), Dr. Aleksandr Yampolskiy (Co-founder and CEO, SecurityScorecard) and Lance Younger (CEO and Founder, ProcureTech), hosted by Andrew Woods of B2E Media for The CPOstrategy Podcast (42 minutes, opens in a new tab). Our original write-up from 2021 is here.

Assess your suppliers with CSRHub

About CSRHub

CSRHub provides access to the world’s largest corporate social responsibility and sustainability database, powered by expert consensus sustainability ratings, information, and tools. Clients use CSRHub’s decisive data platform for global benchmarking, supply and value chain risk assessment and compliance readiness solutions. Founded in 2007, CSRHub covers 62,000 public and private companies, and provides ESG performance scores on 42,000 companies from 134 industries in 158 countries. Our Big Data platform uses algorithms to aggregate, normalize and weight ESG metrics from 1,000 sources to produce a strong consensus signal on corporate sustainability performance.

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Cynthia Figge is a forerunner and thought leader in the corporate sustainability movement who co-founded EKOS International in 1996, one of the first consultancies integrating sustainability and corporate strategy. Cynthia is CEO and Cofounder of CSRHub. Cynthia has worked with major organizations including BNSF, Boeing, Coca-Cola, Dow Jones, and REI to help craft sustainability strategy integrated with business. She was an Officer of LIN Broadcasting/McCaw Cellular leading new services development, and started a new “Greenfield” mill with Weyerhaeuser. She serves as Advisor to media and technology companies, and served as President of the Board of Sustainable Seattle. Cynthia has an MBA from Harvard Business School. Cynthia is based in the Seattle area.

October 6, 2026 /3BL/ – Ragan Communications has unveiled the final agenda and speaker lineup for its Future of Communications Conference, bringing hundreds of communications professionals together Nov. 11-13 at the Hyatt Regency Austin during Communications Week 2026.

The three-day program is designed to answer a question facing communications leaders across industries: What does it take to lead communications into 2027?

Artificial intelligence is transforming content creation, search, reputation management and communications operations. Employees are looking to their organizations for clarity amid constant change. Executives are becoming increasingly visible across new channels. Media influence is fragmenting. At the same time, communications teams face growing pressure to connect their work to business priorities and measurable results.

Ragan’s final conference program brings those issues together through more than 30 keynotes, hands-on workshops, case studies, fireside chats, panels and peer discussions led by more than 50 senior communications leaders, executives and industry experts.

Featured speakers represent organizations including Lockheed Martin, United Airlines, Dell Technologies, Notion, State Farm, IBM, Colgate-Palmolive, Hachette Book Group, Mozilla, Dow Jones, Anker, Code for America, Cotality and Coca-Cola Bottlers’ Sales & Services.

Shira Lazar, founder of What’s Trending, will deliver the keynote “Think Like a Creator: Thriving at the Intersection of AI, Trust and the Future of Communications.” The session will explore how creator culture and artificial intelligence are changing expectations for brands, executives and communications professionals, and why authenticity and human judgment will become even more important as AI adoption grows.

Dr. Marcus Collins, professor at the University of Michigan’s Ross School of Business, will open the second day with the keynote “Being Real: The Human Voice in an AI World.” The session will examine why audiences quickly notice messaging that lacks originality or human perspective, how communicators can apply newsroom instincts to AI-assisted content and executive messaging, and how to measure trust, resonance and influence as AI-generated content floods every channel.

The agenda tackles artificial intelligence from multiple angles, including AI governance, agentic workflows, brand voice, synthetic media, deepfakes, AI-powered search and the changing role of human judgment.

Sessions also address executive communications, reputation management, employee communications, public affairs, organizational change, crisis communications, measurement, emerging media ecosystems, employee advocacy and communications leadership.

Among the issues attendees will explore are how GEO and AEO are changing brand visibility inside AI-generated answers, how communications teams can prepare for synthetic media and new forms of misinformation, how organizations can build AI-assisted workflows without sacrificing brand trust and how communicators can demonstrate their value to business leadership.

The conference opens Nov. 11 with a choice of immersive pre-conference experiences.

Attendees can participate in hands-on conference workshops or join Ragan’s Center for AI Strategy Summit. The AI Summit will examine what is working in enterprise AI adoption, what continues to stall progress and how communications leaders can develop practical, repeatable workflows while navigating governance, legal risk, employee trust and brand safety.

The main conference continues Nov. 12-13 with dedicated internal and external communications tracks, giving attendees the ability to customize their experience around the challenges most relevant to their roles.

Learning is only part of the experience. Hundreds of communications professionals will gather in Austin, creating opportunities to build relationships through structured networking, interactive table discussions, receptions, peer exchanges and informal conversations throughout the event.

The conference is a flagship event of Communications Week, Ragan’s annual gathering of the communications community, taking place Nov. 9-13. The week connects communications professionals and organizations through learning, networking, industry events and conversations focused on where the profession is heading next.

For communicators preparing their organizations and careers for 2027, the Future of Communications Conference offers a chance to see what peers are doing now, challenge existing approaches and return home with practical ideas and frameworks for what comes next.

The next registration pricing deadline is Oct. 9.

3BL Media readers can use code 3BL to save an additional $500 on registration.

View the complete agenda, speaker lineup and registration information for Ragan’s Future of Communications Conference at Ragan.com.

Read More

Originally published on CVS Health Company Newsroom

Cervical cancer was once one of the most common causes of cancer-related death among women in the United States. Today, it is one of the most preventable cancers through human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccination and routine cervical cancer screening. The HPV vaccine also protects boys and girls against other HPV-related cancers that can develop later in life.

Yet thousands of women and men in the United States are still diagnosed with HPV-related cancers each year, and thousands more lose their lives to diseases that, in many cases, can be prevented or detected early. 

That reality represents both a challenge and an opportunity.

The Role of HPV Vaccination

Nearly all cervical cancers are caused by persistent infection with certain types of HPV, a common virus that most people will encounter at some point in their lives. The HPV vaccine – known by its brand name Gardasil – protects against aggressive HPV types responsible for most cervical cancers and several other cancers as well. 

HPV vaccination provides safe, effective, and long-lasting protection for both boys and girls. HPV can cause cancers in women and men, including cervical, throat, anal and penile cancers. HPV is responsible for an estimated 60–70% of oropharyngeal cancers in the United States, and these cancers occur far more often in men than women. Vaccinating all children at the recommended age helps protect them from HPV-related cancers later in life.

With more than 135 million doses distributed in the United States, the HPV vaccine has a reassuring safety record that’s backed by over 15 years of monitoring and research. 

And the data show it works: HPV infections, genital warts, and cervical pre-cancers (abnormal cells on the cervix that can lead to cancer) have dropped since the vaccine was introduced in the United States. Infections with HPV types that cause most HPV cancers and genital warts have dropped 88% among teen girls and 81% among young adult women. And among vaccinated women, the percentage of cervical pre-cancers caused by the HPV types most often linked to cervical cancer has dropped by 40%.

Since the introduction of Gardasil, healthcare professionals have viewed HPV vaccination as one of the most promising cancer prevention tools available. Today, we are beginning to see the impact of that investment.

Research published this year by the American Cancer Society found that cervical cancer incidence among women ages 20 to 31 declined 27% nationally in the years following HPV vaccine introduction, with states that achieved higher vaccination rates generally experiencing larger declines. Higher vaccination coverage was associated with greater reductions in cervical cancer risk.

Even more striking, new observational research published in The Lancet found that in England, where HPV vaccination rates have been high, no cervical cancer deaths occurred among women ages 20 to 24 between 2020 and 2024, compared with more than 23 expected deaths based on historical trends. Researchers concluded that high HPV vaccination coverage was associated with substantial reductions in cervical cancer mortality.

“The HPV vaccine is recommended beginning in adolescence because it is most effective before exposure to the virus,” said Dr. Gourdine, SVP and Chief Medical Officer for CVS Caremark®, a trained pediatrician and public health leader. “When your child is 11 or 12 years old, it can feel uncomfortable to think about care connected to their future sexual activity—but this is one of the best tools we have to prevent cervical cancer, as well as other HPV-related cancers that can affect both women and men.”

Screening Remains Essential

Vaccination is only one part of the prevention story.

Routine cervical cancer screening remains one of the most effective ways to identify precancerous changes before they become cancer or to detect cancer at an earlier, more treatable stage. The Pap test and HPV test can identify abnormalities long before symptoms appear, creating opportunities for timely intervention and better outcomes. 

However, screening rates remain a concern. Data from the Office of Disease Prevention and Health Promotion show that cervical cancer screening rates have been declining for years and have not fully recovered to pre-pandemic levels. This trend is especially concerning because regular screening continues to be a cornerstone of cervical cancer prevention. 

“Cervical cancer screening remains essential, even for people who have received the HPV vaccine,” said Dr. Joanne Armstrong, VP and Chief Medical Officer, Women’s Health and Genomics, CVS Health®. “Following recommended screening guidelines can help identify precancerous changes before they become cancer, when treatment may be most effective.”

Prevention Works Best When We Use Every Tool Available

Too often, conversations about cervical cancer focus only after a diagnosis. Yet some of the most important actions happen years earlier through preventive care.

Vaccination helps reduce the risk of HPV infection. Screening helps detect abnormalities early. Together, these tools create a powerful opportunity to reduce the burden of cervical cancer and improve long-term health outcomes. 

As physicians, we see firsthand the value of prevention. We also recognize that navigating healthcare decisions can sometimes feel overwhelming. But cervical cancer prevention offers a rare example of a public health success story already within our reach.

The science is clear: preventive care saves lives. By staying up to date on recommended vaccinations and routine screenings, patients can take meaningful steps to protect their health and reduce their risk of cervical cancer. 

While no prevention strategy is perfect, cervical cancer demonstrates what is possible when medical innovation, preventive care, and patient action come together. It is one of the clearest examples in modern medicine that the best cancer treatment may be preventing cancer from developing in the first place.

 

October 6, 2026 /3BL/ – Medtronic, a global leader in healthcare technology, today released its fiscal year 2026 (FY26) Impact Report titled “Precision with Purpose,” bringing to life the progress behind its impact goals. In a year shaped by innovation and execution, Medtronic served more than 82 million patients worldwide, invested $2.9 billion in research and development, and achieved more than 315 product approvals in major markets, including FDA clearance of the Hugo™ robotic-assisted surgery system. Together, these initiatives expand access to care and help address critical unmet health needs.

“What comes next is continuing to advance robotics, AI, and connected technologies so more patients in more places can benefit,” said Geoff Martha, Medtronic chairman and CEO. “The goal is simple: better care, better outcomes, and broader access.”

The Medtronic FY26 Impact Report details the following achievements:

Patients: Driving innovation, quality, and expanding access to care

Reinforcing its commitment to put patients first, Medtronic continued to harness advanced technologies, including robotics, AI, and data-driven solutions, to improve outcomes and widen access to care. In FY26, the company:

• Broadened access to robotic-assisted surgery: secured FDA clearance for the Hugo™ robotic-assisted surgery system in December 2025, bringing a differentiated robotic-assisted platform to U.S. surgeons and health systems.
• Strengthened product quality and safety: achieved a 70% reduction in quality nonconformances through expanded First Time Quality programs across manufacturing, distribution, and service operations.
• Helped address healthcare workforce shortages: educated 1.3 million healthcare professionals globally over the past four years, helping expand access to care and support adoption of advanced therapies.

People: Building a skilled, inclusive, and resilient workforce

Medtronic continued to invest in the people behind its Mission: its employees, suppliers, and the communities it serves. In FY26, the company:

• Expanded its economic impact: invested $1.9 billion with small and diverse suppliers, supporting more than 15,600 jobs and generating over $3 billion in economic impact.
• Developed future healthcare technology talent: awarded the first Medtronic Spark scholarships to 100 students across 12 countries as part of its long-term workforce pipeline strategy.
• Invested in workforce capability: spent $68 million on employee learning and development (approximately $750 per employee), helping employees build capabilities, explore new areas of growth, and prepare for the future of work.

Planet: Advancing decarbonization, operational efficiency, and circularity

Medtronic remained focused on reducing emissions, using resources responsibly, and designing products and packaging with a smaller environmental footprint. In FY26, the company:

• Delivered measurable climate progress: achieved a 68% reduction in Scope 1 and 2 intensity versus FY20 baseline and sourced 65% of its electricity from renewable sources, advancing toward its FY30 goal of 100% renewable electricity.
• Made progress on Scope 3 targets: increased suppliers engaged to approximately 18%, while supporting rising value chain data requests from our customers, health systems, and hospital procurement teams.
• Advanced sustainable product and packaging goals: eliminated 230 tonnes of packaging materials and reduced shipping volumes.

The company maintains high standards of governance, ethical conduct, and transparency to earn the trust of patients, providers, and partners every day.

Standards and framework alignment

The Medtronic 2026 Impact Report reflects the company’s key environmental, social, and governance (ESG) topics in alignment with leading reporting frameworks and standards, including the Global Reporting Initiative (GRI); the Sustainability Accounting Standards Board (SASB) Standards; and the Financial Stability Board’s (FSB) Task Force on Climate-related Financial Disclosures (TCFD).

About Medtronic
Bold thinking. Bolder actions. We are Medtronic. Medtronic plc, headquartered in Galway, Ireland, is the leading global healthcare technology company that boldly attacks the most challenging health problems facing humanity by searching out and finding solutions. Our Mission — to alleviate pain, restore health, and extend life — unites a global team of 95,000+ passionate people across more than 150 countries. Our technologies and therapies treat 70 health conditions and include cardiac devices, surgical robotics, insulin pumps, surgical tools, patient monitoring systems, and more. Powered by our diverse knowledge, insatiable curiosity, and desire to help all those who need it, we deliver innovative technologies that transform the lives of two people every second, every hour, every day. Expect more from us as we empower insight-driven care, experiences that put people first, and better outcomes for our world. In everything we do, we are engineering the extraordinary. For more information on Medtronic, visit www.Medtronic.com and follow on LinkedIn.

Any forward-looking statements are subject to risks and uncertainties such as those described in Medtronic’s periodic reports on file with the Securities and Exchange Commission. Actual results may differ materially from anticipated results.

Contacts:

Justin Paquette
Public Relations
justin.d.paquette@medtronic.com 

Ingrid Goldberg
Investor Relations
+1-763-505-2696

Artificial intelligence has quickly earned a spot in the EHS toolbox.

Teams can use AI to summarize information, draft outlines, organize regulatory requirements, develop initial training content, and tackle administrative work that once consumed hours and complete it in a matter of minutes. Used appropriately, those capabilities can create meaningful efficiencies.

Used appropriately these capabilities can create real and significant efficiencies and allow EHS professionals to focus on the work that matters most, rather than repetitive, lower value tasks. But, it is also of paramount importance for EHS professionals as well as others with responsibility/accountability in the space to understand risks and limitations and where human expertise and experience need to take over.

Where Can AI Add Value in EHS?

Much of the most valuable work that EHS professionals undertake is on the floor, in implementation, and in conversations with workers and partner functions. It is supporting risk assessments, investigating and following up on an incident and taking action to prevent recurrence or further harm, and it’s working on that evergreen task of keeping the operations in regulatory compliance. Yes, even the seemingly never-ending stream of meetings has significant value when covering the correct topics and engaging the right stakeholders.

This means that tasks that involve organizing, summarizing, or developing an outline or first draft can be particularly well suited to AI assistance and affording the EHS professional the time they need to focus their attention on the items that matter most. Depending on the tools available and an organization’s AI governance policies, some potential applications include:

• Developing a starting point for written programs or procedures
• Organizing regulatory information
• Summarizing lengthy documents
• Pulling out corrective actions from an audit report into a CAPA tracker
• Drafting checklists, communications or other routine materials
• Creating baseline training materials
• Repurposing or formatting existing and pre-validated information
• Classifying and evaluating trends in hundreds or thousands of near miss or incident reports
• Support in translating materials for multilingual workforces
• Workflow automation

This is where AI’s efficiency can really make a difference, helping take on the rote, time-consuming work that does not always require the full expertise of an experienced EHS professional.

Reducing the number of hours devoted to those tasks could ultimately allow EHS professionals to spend more time on implementation, verification, and assurance.

And that is an important shift. The goal of an EHS program is not simply to produce the document, register, checklist, or training module. It is to manage actual environmental, health, and safety risks.

The 70% Problem: AI Can Produce an Answer, but Is It the Right One?

The challenge begins when an AI-generated output looks complete enough to be treated as final.

Think of it as the “70% problem.” AI can be an effective starting point, accelerating research, reducing administrative burden, and creating a strong outline or first draft. In some cases, it may get an EHS team much of the way toward a finish work product. But even an output that appears to be 70%, 80%, or 90% complete can leave an organization exposed if what is missing or incorrect includes the requirement or aspect that matters most or where it carries a significant potential outcome.

An AI tool may be capable of generating something that resembles a legal register, written program, or regulatory summary in a matter of minutes. That does not necessarily mean every requirement is current, complete, or applicable to a particular facility.

Antea Group’s EHS professionals have encountered examples where our client’s AI-generated research identified regulations that did not apply to their organization. In another example, an AI tool was asked to identify potential new regulations in one country and produced an extremely convincing answer containing details drawn from neighboring jurisdictions. The citation and regulatory information looked legitimate, but the supposed regulation did not exist in that country.

That is one of the more difficult aspects of using AI for EHS work: incorrect information can still look authoritative and convincingly correct if not properly scrutinized and validated by an EHS professional with the requisite knowledge and experience.

In both instances, AI identified requirements that do not actually apply or exist. This risks an EHS team can then spend unnecessary time and resources trying to comply with an obligation it never had in the first place.

In either scenario, appropriate validation is what turns an AI-generated starting point into information an EHS team can confidently use.

But perhaps the most dangerous failure we can encounter is the opposite, it’s the critical requirement that the AI never mentions.

Regulatory Applicability Requires More Than Finding a Regulation

For EHS teams, identifying a regulation is only the beginning.

The more difficult questions are often:

• Does this requirement apply to this facility, and why?
• How does the local regulator interpret it?
• Does a specific operation, process, substance or threshold trigger additional requirements?
• What exemptions exist and do you trigger them?
• Has the requirement changed?
• How does it interact with other national, state, provincial or local requirements?

Those questions become particularly challenging for organizations operating across multiple jurisdictions.

AI can search and synthesize enormous amounts of information, but regulatory applicability depends on context. An experienced EHS professional or local subject matter expert can evaluate an AI-generated answer against actual operations and determine whether the information is complete and applicable.

That distinction matters because the consequences of incorrect information can extend well beyond having to revise a document.

What Happens When AI Gets EHS Information Wrong?

The risk varies considerably depending on the task, jurisdiction, and type of error.

Sometimes, an inaccurate AI response simply creates extra work. A team creates policies, trainings, or regulatory reports in an attempt to become compliant with a requirement that ultimately does not apply.

Other errors can have much greater consequences.

Incomplete or incorrect regulatory information can contribute to compliance gaps, fines, operational disruption, or reputational impacts. In some jurisdictions and circumstances, senior company representatives can face personal accountability and prosecution for serious compliance failures.

Many environmental permits and regulatory reports also require an authorized company representative to certify the information being submitted. AI may help prepare information, but responsibility for that information does not transfer to the technology that generated it. Loss of permits or related issues can be catastrophic for certain operations when it starts to heavily impact operations, and our “AI analysis said it was OK” won’t fly with a regulator.

Depending on the use case, the issue could also be in confidentiality and privacy on the handling of sensitive data such as incident reports, medical case details, and other sensitive information. Ensuring your organization has thoroughly reviewed these use cases and risks, including its intersection with legislature such as GDPR and with legal privilege is key. After all, no AI has signed an NDA. Whatever protections your data has comes from your organization’s appropriate handling of said data and your vendor agreements on how your AI tooling is configured.

Of course, the stakes are at their highest when inaccurate information affects worker safety. A missing requirement or incorrect procedure may not become obvious until an incident occurs, and regulators begin examining whether the appropriate programs and controls were in place. Was a critical control not identified or applied, was something calculated incorrectly because the AI didn’t have all of the right context and information at its disposal? When at the core of our roles as EHS professionals is life safety, we are playing with proverbial fire when we do not do our due diligence and required thorough professional validation. Especially, ensuring that the validation matches the risk level.

Yet another risk is one that we may not see for several years but will be a real challenge when we come to this crossroad, and that is the erosion of expertise. How are early-career EHS professionals going to build the judgement needed to fact check and validate in a world dominated by the use of AI for the tasks that juniors would traditionally take on? If you have junior or up and coming EHS professionals in your organization, start to ask yourself, how are we going to continue to grow their expertise and where will they focus their efforts.

None of this is to say that organizations should avoid AI because something could go wrong or because it causes a downstream challenge. It means the human review should not be short circuited, especially where there is increased risk from an incorrect answer and that the risks should be carefully weighed and evaluated to determine the appropriate use cases.

The Future of AI in EHS Work Is Human + AI

The EHS profession won’t go untouched by AI. Nor should it be.

There is real value in allowing technology to take on tasks that are repetitive, time-consuming, or heavily administrative. If AI can help an EHS manager spend less time formatting documents and searching through hundreds of pages of information, that creates more time for the work that requires professional judgment.

The role of the EHS professional may therefore shift increasingly toward three areas: assurance, verification, and implementation.

Assurance asks: Can we trust this information? 

Verification asks: Is it correct and applicable here? 

Implementation asks: How do we turn it into something that actually reduces risk? 

Those are areas where experience, local knowledge, professional judgment, and an understanding of how work is actually performed remain essential. That validation may include:

• Confirming regulatory citations and requirements
• Determining facility-specific applicability
• Identifying missing requirements or considerations
• Reviewing information against current regulations
• Adding local regulatory and operational context
• Evaluating whether a written program reflects how work is actually performed
• Confirming that recommendations are practical to implement

Getting Beyond the AI Starting Point

As AI becomes part of everyday EHS work, organizations should establish clear processes for where AI can be used, what requires human review, and who is responsible for validating the final work product. That may include identifying appropriate AI use cases, setting review requirements based on risk, and defining when regulatory or technical subject matter experts need to be involved. For organizations already experimenting with AI internally, expert review can provide additional assurance that the resulting programs, regulatory information, and other EHS materials are accurate, applicable and ready to put into practice.

AI can help get the work started. EHS expertise helps make sure the job is finished.

Looking for that EHS expertise to help you finish the job? Reach out to our EHS Auditing and Compliance team today.

Cisco

Sustainability data has long been viewed primarily through the lens of reporting: measuring emissions, tracking progress, and preparing disclosures. But as sustainability becomes more deeply connected to business strategy and customer purchasing decisions, the role of data is expanding. In my work across sustainability, technology and business transformation, I’ve seen that meaningful progress happens when technical insight, reliable data and business context come together.

Increasingly, sustainability data is informing a wider range of decisions, from how products are designed to how customers evaluate technology choices. The next step is making that information sufficiently trusted, transparent and decision-ready that it can help shape those choices before they are made — not simply describe their impact afterwards.

Creating a trusted data foundation

Cisco’s Sustainability Data Foundation (SDF) was created to help address this shift by providing a more connected and trusted view of sustainability information across the business. The more consistent and accessible the data becomes, the more useful it is for reporting, planning and action.

When we first shared the work behind the SDF, we described an enterprise data platform designed to consolidate, analyze, and integrate environmental sustainability data from across Cisco. That foundation has helped support use cases across reporting, strategy, product design, go-to-market needs, and customer engagement.

But having more data is not the outcome in itself. Its value comes from whether teams can use it to understand trade-offs and make better decisions. That places increasing importance not only on accessibility, but also on data quality, transparency, appropriate boundaries, and the assumptions behind the information.

Sustainability data in customer decisions

Increasingly, sustainability data is becoming part of how customers evaluate technology choices, alongside quality, performance, reliability, and cost. That shift is especially visible among customers making large-scale technology and infrastructure investments.

AI is driving a step-change in electricity demand, and many companies are seeing emissions rise even as innovation in efficiency and advances in clean energy continue. At the same time, much of their emissions impact sits outside their direct operational control, making supplier and product-level data increasingly important. Customers want to understand not only what technology can do, but also its energy, carbon, and lifecycle implications.

This is where product carbon footprint, lifecycle assessment, and circularity data become important inputs. Customers are asking for a more detailed breakdown of product carbon footprints across materials and manufacturing, transportation, use, and end-of-life stages.

Beyond product level data, we are also thinking about the total system. We are increasingly discussing how infrastructure performs as a system, identifying where resources may be underutilized, and how operational choices affect energy and resource demand. Many customers currently manage separate sets of energy and carbon data. We are looking at ways to unify that data, helping our customers move toward a more integrated and simplified approach.

Supporting the next generation of customer needs

At Cisco, sustainability data can help connect business strategy, environmental impact, and customer needs. It gives both Cisco teams and our customers a stronger basis for evaluating choices that affect product design, operations, procurement, circularity, and long-term planning.

As customer expectations continue to evolve, sustainability data will become increasingly important to how Cisco supports customers and strengthens business decisions. Trusted, connected, and decision-ready data gives teams a stronger basis for evaluating technology purchase decisions against sustainability goals and business outcomes.

Ultimately, the value of sustainability data should not be judged by how much information we collect or disclose, but by whether it helps Cisco and our customers make better, more informed decisions — and whether those decisions lead to measurable improvements in environmental and business outcomes.

View orginal content here.

 

What You’ll Learn 

• How to choose a holiday business idea with real customer demand
• What you need to launch a simple, holiday-ready business online
• How to make your new business easier for holiday shoppers to discover

 

What Holiday Products Can You Sell During the Holiday Season? 

Starting a seasonal business doesn’t mean you need to invent an entirely new product. Look for products that solve a specific holiday need, make gift-giving easier or offer something shoppers can’t easily find elsewhere.

Think about what people are already searching for: Christmas products to sell, trending holiday products or holiday business ideas. You could sell personalized gifts, holiday baked goods, seasonal home décor, custom apparel, gift baskets or even a holiday-focused service.

The key is finding the intersection between something people want and something you can realistically deliver before the holidays.

Try this AI prompt:

“I want to start a seasonal business before Christmas with a budget of $X. Ask me a few questions about my skills, hobbies, interests and experience, then suggest 10 business ideas I could realistically start. Include ideas that don’t require specialized skills or experience. For each idea, identify the target customer, what I could sell and why someone might buy it during the holidays.” 

How Do You Turn a Holiday Business Idea into a Real Business? 

Once you’ve picked an idea, it’s time to move from brainstorming to building.

Start by defining three things: what you’re selling, who you’re selling it to and why someone should choose your product. You don’t need a 20-page business plan to get started, but you should have a clear offer and a basic plan for how customers will find and buy from you.

You’ll also need to consider practical requirements such as registering your business, getting any necessary business licenses or seasonal business permits, setting up payments and deciding how you’ll handle inventory, fulfillment or appointments.

Then get your business online.

With GoDaddy Airo, you can use AI to help create a website and branding for your new business, giving you a starting point without having to build everything from scratch.

How Do You Make Your Holiday Business Easier to Find Online? 

Having a website for your business is only the beginning. Holiday shoppers need to be able to find you when they’re searching for products or services like yours.

Start with the language your customers actually use. Holiday keyword research can help you identify relevant searches, while local SEO for small businesses can help customers in your area discover you.

Think about phrases such as:

• “Christmas gifts for [audience]”
• “holiday gifts near me”
• “Black Friday [product]”
• “personalized Christmas gifts”
• “holiday products to sell”

Use relevant terms naturally in your website copy, product descriptions, page titles and headings. You don’t need to fill your site with keywords. The goal is to make it clear what you sell and who it’s for.

When Should You Create a Holiday Marketing Calendar? 

Don’t wait until Black Friday to start marketing. A simple holiday marketing calendar can help you plan what you’ll promote and when.

For a new seasonal business, your calendar might look something like this:

• Before Black Friday: Introduce your business and build awareness.
• Black Friday/Cyber Monday: Promote your strongest offer or best-selling product.
• Early December: Shift messaging toward Christmas shopping and gift ideas.
• Final shipping window: Highlight products that can still arrive in time.
• Last-minute shopping: Promote digital products, local pickup or other options that don’t depend on standard shipping.

Your holiday marketing plan doesn’t need to be complicated. The important thing is to have something ready before the busiest shopping days arrive.

How Can AI Help You Start a Holiday Business? 

AI can help with much more than brainstorming business ideas. Once you’ve decided what you want to sell, you can use AI to speed up some of the work involved in launching and marketing your business.

For example, you can use AI to brainstorm business names, create a first draft of your website copy, develop product descriptions, generate social content or build a basic holiday marketing plan.

GoDaddy Airo can also help turn an idea into a business website and brand, including an AI-generated logo and other website content, in minutes.

Try these AI prompts:

“Create a simple holiday marketing plan for my new [business type]. I have [X] weeks until Christmas and a marketing budget of $[X]. Give me weekly actions across social media, email and my website.” 

“Create five holiday product descriptions for [product]. Make them gift-focused, concise and optimized around the types of searches a customer might use to find this product.” 

What Should You Do If You Want to Start a Holiday Business Before Black Friday? 

The holiday shopping season doesn’t wait for a business to feel perfectly ready. If you have an idea, start by validating what you want to sell, defining your customer and creating a simple path for people to find and buy from you.

You don’t need everything figured out on day one. You need a clear idea, a practical plan and the tools to start turning that idea into something real.

Ready to turn your holiday business idea into a website? Try GoDaddy Airo and start building your online presence.

 

Frequently Asked Questions 

What are some seasonal products you can sell during the holidays? 

Consider personalized gifts, holiday décor, gift baskets, custom apparel, food products, digital products and seasonal services. The right opportunity depends on your skills, budget, available time and what customers are looking for.

How do you know whether a holiday business idea is worth pursuing? 

Look for evidence of customer demand, consider how much it will cost to deliver the product or service and determine whether you can realistically launch before the holiday shopping season peaks.

How can you find products to sell for the holiday season? 

Research holiday search trends, gift-giving occasions and customer needs. You can also use AI to brainstorm product ideas and then validate those ideas by researching demand, competition and sourcing options.

What tools can help create a website for a new seasonal business? 

AI-powered website builders can help entrepreneurs create a website without extensive technical or design experience. GoDaddy Airo can help generate a website and branding based on your business idea, giving a new seasonal business a faster way to establish an online presence.

How early should you launch a seasonal business before Christmas? 

As early as possible. Launching before the biggest holiday shopping days gives you more time to test your offer, build awareness, improve your website and reach potential customers before demand peaks.

SWORDS, Ireland, October 6, 2026 /3BL/ – Trane® – by Trane Technologies (NYSE: TT), a global climate innovator, today announced a new multi-year agreement with Kroenke Sports & Entertainment (KSE), under which Trane will serve as a Climate Innovation partner and KSE’s official HVAC and thermal management partner. The agreement builds on KSE’s work with Trane across marquee venues, including SoFi Stadium, YouTube Theater, Hollywood Park in Los Angeles, and Ball Arena in Denver. This partnership marks KSE’s first cross-property agreement with a technology provider.

In sports and entertainment venues, where occupancy patterns shift quickly and operating demands remain high, driving progress toward decarbonization goals without compromising operational excellence is a central challenge. Trane’s energy-efficient climate systems will help KSE modernize infrastructure through ultra-low-emission heating and cooling paired with intelligent digital services to help reduce energy use and emissions in real time. Together, Trane and KSE will advance a shared commitment to sustainable venue operations and exceptional experiences for every guest.

“This agreement reflects how we can innovate together to think differently about advancing building performance and sustainability in critical, complex environments,” said Holly Paeper, President, Commercial HVAC Americas, Trane Technologies. “We’re proud to support KSE with solutions that help improve efficiency, reduce emissions and accelerate the decarbonization of the built environment.”

“We’re pleased to expand our relationship with Trane through this first-of-its-kind cross-property agreement,” said Mike Neary, Executive Vice President, Business Operations & Real Estate, Kroenke Sports & Entertainment. “Across our portfolio, we are focused on delivering world-class experiences while continuing to invest in innovation, operational performance and sustainability. Trane’s expertise, technology and shared commitment to progress make them an ideal collaborator as we continue to raise the bar across our venues.”

Grounded in Trane Technologies’ commitment to boldly challenge what’s possible for a sustainable world, this partnership reflects a shared belief that sustainability and high performance should go hand in hand. Translating climate innovation into measurable progress across KSE’s portfolio, the agreement supports Trane Technologies’ broader sustainability priorities, including its Gigaton Challenge to reduce one billion metric tons of customer carbon emissions by 2030, operational emissions reduction and circularity. In 2025, Trane Technologies reported a 59% reduction in operational greenhouse gas emissions since 2019 and 44% recycled content across its primary product materials.

KSE is a leading global sports and entertainment organization with marquee teams, venues and entertainment assets across the United States and the United Kingdom. Across its portfolio, KSE has demonstrated a strong commitment to sustainable venue operations, including at Ball Arena, where the venue has shifted toward aluminum beverage packaging and strengthened on-site recycling, and at SoFi Stadium, where the canopy roof and passive ventilation strategies help support efficient operations.

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About Trane Technologies
Trane Technologies is a global climate innovator. Through our strategic brands Trane® and Thermo King®, and our portfolio of environmentally responsible products and services, we bring efficient and sustainable climate solutions to buildings, homes and transportation. For more on Trane Technologies, visit tranetechnologies.com.

About Trane
Trane® – by Trane Technologies (NYSE: TT), a global climate innovator – creates comfortable, energy efficient indoor environments for commercial and residential applications. For more information, please visit trane.com.

About Kroenke Sports & Entertainment
Denver-based Kroenke Sports & Entertainment (KSE) is one of the world’s leading ownership, entertainment, and management groups. KSE’s portfolio of professional sports teams and venues include Arsenal F.C. (EPL), Los Angeles Rams (NFL), Denver Nuggets (NBA), Colorado Avalanche (NHL), Colorado Rapids (MLS), Colorado Mammoth (NLL), SoFi Stadium, Emirates Stadium, Ball Arena, DICK’S Sporting Goods Park, and the Historic Paramount Theatre. Additional properties under KSE’s umbrella include Altitude Sports & Entertainment, a 24-hour regional television network; Altitude+, the direct-to-consumer streaming service; KSE Radio, which includes Altitude Sports Radio 92.5 FM, MIX 100, KOOL and Altitude Sports Radio 950 AM; and Outdoor Sportsman Group, the largest media company devoted to outdoor sports.

Forward Looking Statements
This news release includes “forward-looking statements” within the meaning of securities laws, which are statements that are not historical facts, including statements that relate to the multi-year agreement between Trane Technologies and Kroenke Sports & Entertainment; the expected benefits of the partnership, including advancing sustainable venue operations and modernizing infrastructure; the performance of Trane’s energy-efficient climate systems and digital services to help reduce energy use and emissions; and Trane’s broader sustainability goals, including the Gigaton Challenge. These forward-looking statements are based on current expectations and are subject to risks and uncertainties, which may cause actual results to differ materially from current expectations. Factors that could cause such differences can be found in the Form 10-K filed with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission by Trane Technologies plc for the year ended December 31, 2025, as well as subsequent reports filed by Trane Technologies plc on Form 10-Q and other SEC filings. New risks and uncertainties arise from time to time, and it is impossible to predict these events or how they may affect the statements set forth in this news release. We assume no obligation to update these forward-looking statements.