Tag: 3BL

The Transformational Tech series highlights Cisco’s grant recipients that use technology to help transform the lives of individuals and communities.

Cisco’s purpose is to Power an Inclusive Future for All. One way we fulfill our purpose is through collaborations with organizations that have aligning values. Similarly, with the mission to create impactful, innovative, and successful social enterprises, Villgro® has helped build and accelerate startups in India for over 20 years. And when Cisco and Villgro partnered to organize Tvaran, we leaned into both our missions.

Cisco and Villgro selected seven winning startups to explore and accelerate over the coming months through Project Tvaran. An India-based startup accelerator program in its first year, Tvaran means “acceleration” in Hindi. Each winning startup is focused on a facet of climate resilience and is founded and run by women entrepreneurs. Meet our first-ever winners of Tvaran:

GreenGrahi Solutions, co-founder Shivali Sugand

Growing up witnessing Delhi’s giant landfills, Shivali Sugand was always keen on changing the paradigm of waste management. In 2021, her purpose found a way, through her startup GreenGrahi Solutions, where she addresses India’s three pressing problems: waste management, food insecurity and climate change.

According to World Resources Institute, “the world throws out a billion tons of food each year, while one in nine people remain malnourished.” Most of this waste ends up in landfills where it has adverse economic, environmental, and social repercussions on the local population and on the natural ecosystem.

As a circular economy company, GreenGrahi Solutions upcycles food waste into high-quality ingredients for animal and plant nutrition using an insect bio-conversion process. They take food waste from bulk waste generators; let insects use it in climate-controlled chambers powered by a network of sensors and an algorithm, and convert the results into high-quality insect protein, fat, and fertilizer.

“We truly believe that insects and our technology can act as a catalyst to fix the broken food system and empower our farmers,” Shivali said. “And can drastically reduce the greenhouse gasses from the current unsustainable waste management and resource-intensive agricultural practices.”

Bharat Krushi Seva, co-founder Sharayu Lande

In 2021, 42% of the population in India lived in poverty. And in a overpopulated country with an unknown number of farmers, many do not have access to a quality value chain—like technology, personal advisors, and technical support.

Bharat Krushi Seva (BKS) uses remote sensing technology to drive digital and climate-smart agriculture, to help farmers make more informed decisions and focus on precision farming. This gathered information is critical for farmers who are looking to mitigate the impact of climate change while maintaining sustainable and profitable agricultural practices.

“By having this information in advance,” Sharayu explained, “farmers can make better decisions about resource allocation and optimize their production processes.”

BKS’ technology provides crop-specific, personalized support, equipping farmers with customized, actionable advice based on farming practices and local conditions. This helps them to improve their crop yield, reduce input costs, manage risks, and make better decisions. This tech-based service provides sustainable and climate-smart farming practices, promoting a healthier environment.

Green Delight Innovations Private Limited, founder Niveda Ravi

India faces major social and environmental challenges with plastic waste disposal. Per ResearchGate, in 2010, only 12% of women in India used sanitary pads. By 2016, that number had increased to 57%. Every year the number of feminine hygiene products users grows. This inspired Niveda Ravi to develop a process that benefits both women and the environment.

Niveda founded Green Delight Innovations to solve two significant challenges that stem from plastic waste disposal:

Plastic – Nearly 113,000 tons of hygiene products are disposed of annually in India. And often, these products are burnt for disposal, which may release harmful gases and toxins into the atmosphere.Chemicals – Almost 70% of reproductive diseases in India are reportedly caused by poor sanitary pad hygiene.

Niveda noted that while the “leaves of the Kenaf plant are edible, the stem goes to waste.” This inspired her to create a processing technology that can extract fibers from the common plant, using no chemicals or plastics, making it suitable for use in feminine hygiene products. Green Delight Innovations is the first startup in the world to make Bliss hygiene pads from Kenaf, and India’s First to offer United States Food and Drug Administration (USFDA)-approved and biobased-certified feminine hygiene products. Additionally, Green Delight operates with the aim to offer gender equality with more direct jobs to women and people who are transgender, and economic growth for women and men in local areas.

Niveda revealed, “Women switching to this technology will experience good health and wellbeing. Women will have better hygiene and sanitation practices. [And this product may offer a] reduction in pollution.”

KNP Arises – Green Energy Solutions, co-founder Kirtti Vaishnav

Frying cooking oil increases the Total Polar Compounds (TPC) value of an oil. And if the oil is reused, consuming it can cause severe health problems, like “non-communicable diseases, heart ailments, and organ damage.” Cooking oils with a TPC value higher than 25% should not be consumed and should be immediately discarded, according to the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI). But in India, 60% of used cooking oil can reenter the food chain due to lack of awareness and an unstable food safety infrastructure.

Kirtti Viashnav co-founded KNP Arises to collect used cooking oil and convert it into fuel.

Through KNP’s mobile application, anyone who wants to discard used cooking oil can submit a request. The KNP team then coordinates to collect the oil and transfer it to the KNP warehouse. On collection, the vendor gets paid to dispose of their oil, along with a compliance certificate and “green” certificate showing their contribution towards the environment. KNP provides 100% oil traceability through notifications in the mobile application.

“Our work will secure millions of people’s health. By providing a strong infrastructure, we can safely guard bodies of water,” Kirtti disclosed. “And using this fuel will ensure our environment is cleaner and greener.”

Swachha Eco Solutions Pvt Ltd, co-founder Victoria D’Souza

As an environmental activist and social entrepreneur, Victoria D’Souza understood that while plastic is an alternative to metal, there is no alternative to plastic.

The use of packaged products has increased exponentially—especially single-use, multi-layered plastic (MLP), like the plastic wrapping around food or shampoo. Long-time exposure to the chemicals within this multi-layered plastic may produce leachate, resulting in water and soil pollution. Currently, India’s Plastic Waste Management (PWM) process for MLP is to recycle about 60% and dump the rest in a landfill.

Victoria explained, “We take a look at a variety of ways a collaborative, collective approach helps in creating a clean, green, and sustainable environment.”

Through Swachha Eco Solutions, this MLP can be collected, shredded, and mixed with hot bitumen which is sometimes referred to as asphalt or tar. The formulated plastic waste mixture is added to course aggregate, resulting in a mix that can be used for road construction and repair. Swachha Eco Solutions aims to reduce emissions and lifecycle carbon intensity from dumped single-use plastics.

Mowo Fleet, founder Jai Bharathi

Every city across the world is driving toward the electric vehicle revolution. Many women in India, especially from lower socioeconomic groups, are unaware of this transportation transformation. Jai Bharathi felt it important to include women in sustainable mobility-related livelihoods, so she founded Mowo Fleet.

Through Mowo Fleet, Jai redefined urban mobility by bringing women into the driver’s seat—specifically on electric two- and three-wheelers. Mowo Fleet uses technology to optimize and schedule commutes and delivery services to enable women to consider driving for their career and maximize their earning potential.

And while many women are already willing to drive for their livelihood, it can be a challenge for these women to earn maximum revenue for the hours they spend away from home. Through Mowo Fleet’s technology, empty rides are mitigated, providing many women with equal footing.

“Being a part of the Villgro-Cisco Tvaran program, we have the opportunity to be mentored as we are at the initial phase of building technology, which will be a game changer in enabling many women to join the sustainable mobility workforce,” Jai disclosed.

Farmers for Forests (ClimateSense Pvt Ltd), founder Krutika Ravishankar

“One of the primary reasons why ecosystems like forests, marshes, grasslands, mangroves, peats and bogs are being destroyed at an alarming rate,” disclosed Krutika Ravishankar, “is because the services they provide—like carbon sequestration, soil regeneration, fresh water, and pollination—are not being correctly priced by global economic systems.” For example, according to data from the IPBES, insects pollinate 75% of crops globally, a service priced at $577 billion.

Thriving ecosystems are key to climate resilience. Krutika co-founded Farmers for Forests to focus on restoring and protecting India’s biodiverse forests, in close collaboration with agrarian and Indigenous communities.

“Farmers for Forests compensates farmers and communities for the protection and restoration of biodiverse forest cover,” Krutika explained.

Through the use of drones, satellite data, and modified open-source AI algorithms, Farmers for Forests can count trees, identify species, and track forest cover to capture tree health and risk potential for forest fires. This data is used holistically to understand forest health and quantify sequestered carbon and biodiversity levels of the forests and agroforestry plantations—helping to more accurately price services provided by these ecosystems.

So far, Farmers for Forests manages more than 2,940 acres of vulnerable forests each year, has planted 600 acres of new forests and agroforestry plantations, and has generated over 17,000 days of rural employment.

Congratulations to these seven outstanding Tvaran startup winners. We look forward to seeing how these women entrepreneurs will impact and innovate the future of climate resilience around the world. To learn more about Villgro’s and Cisco’s efforts to help entrepreneurs in India accelerate climate resilience, please visit our Project Tvaran webpage.

View original content here

HOUSTON, May 12, 2023 /3BL Media/ – Baker Hughes, an energy technology company, was again named to the Fortune’s Modern Board 25, a list of the most innovative boards of directors among S&P 500 companies. This year, Baker Hughes comes in at No. 5, up one spot from 2022.

Fortune collaborated with the Diligent Institute, the research arm and think tank of the global corporate-governance software company Diligent, to develop the ranking — based on criteria that include the expertise, independence, diversity, and tenure of board membership. Using information gathered by Diligent and ESG data from Refinitiv to quantify board success across several dimensions, the ranking measures board independence, sustainability, diversity, financial performance and more.

“We are proud to once again appear on Fortune’s Modern Board 25 list, a testament to the breadth and strength of our Board’s expertise. Strong governance is fundamental to our ability to grow sustainably as we transform our company and industry throughout the energy transition,” said Baker Hughes Chairman and CEO Lorenzo Simonelli. “I thank our Board and shareholders for their unwavering commitment to and support of our strategy as we take energy forward.”

Read what Fortune wrote about the Baker Hughes Board and view the full list here.

###

For more information, please contact:

Media Relations
Adrienne M. Lynch
+1 713-906-8407
adrienne.lynch@bakerhughes.com

3BL is making its way around the country to host Network Effect, a series of conversations aimed to bring corporate leaders and practitioners together for a morning of important dialogue on sustainability and social impact issues. 3BL’s third stop of this series will be in Chicago, IL, giving those interested in prompting meaningful change an opportunity to connect.

Join us for Network Effect: Chicago hosted at Northern Trust headquarters on June 7 from 9 a.m. to 11 a.m. Register for this event at no cost here.

Attendees will have the opportunity to hear from senior leaders representing some of Chicago’s top brands on how they’re tackling environmental, social, governance (ESG) in a rapidly changing business environment. Conversations throughout the morning will feature:

Jamie Jones Ezefili, Chief Sustainability Officer, Northern TrustMaggie McKerr, Director of Global External Communications, Mondelez InternationalDavid Darr, Chief Sustainability Officer, Vanguard RenewablesDave Armon, CEO, 3BL MediaMadeline Patterson, ESG Strategy Lead, BCWNick Aster, Marketing Director of North America, South Pole

Admission is free and breakfast is included.

Click here to register.

CNH Industrial has been honored with the Best Contribution to Thailand’s Education Award 2023 for its significant role in the development of education in Thailand. Presented by the Thai Ministry of Education during its 131st anniversary ceremony, the award is a testament to CNH Industrial’s commitment to empowering educational institutions and underserved communities.

CNH Industrial has a longstanding commitment to providing scholarships, financial and technical grants, and educational resources in the country, alongside collaborating with academic institutions to accelerate vocational training and skills development programs to equip young people with future-ready skills and knowledge.

Mark Brinn, Managing Director of CNH Industrial for Southeast Asia and Japan, said, “Education unlocks opportunities for all people to reach their full potential while contributing to the community. As a company we support the UN Sustainable Development Goals. In line with fostering social equity and inclusive growth, we aim to help empower people and reduce inequalities through education.”

The Best Contribution to Thailand’s Education Award highlights the role that business and other key stakeholders play in improving Thai education and how this makes a positive impact on society. It also reinforces how public-private partnerships can accelerate educational progress.

CNH Industrial’s We Care We Share outreach program, in partnership with the Thai Ministry of Education and vocational colleges was commended for delivering real community impact.

Launched in 2020, through the program, CNH Industrial has been providing equipment, technical and financial resources for education and training programs to local colleges.

The Company supports the Diploma in Agriculture Machinery in partnership with the Pakdee College of Commerce and Technology vocational training school. CNH Industrial also donated a New Holland TT2.50 Tractor to the school to support hands-on machinery experience.

In the Nakhon Ratchasima province, the Company donated a New Holland TC5.30 combine harvester to the Nakhon Ratchasima College of Agriculture and Technology to support training on new farming trends and technologies. The machine will also be used to harvest corn on the College’s farm.

In April, CNH Industrial donated another New Holland TC5.30 combine to the Nakhonsawan Agricultural and Technology Vocational College, with this one to be used for harvesting rice. A New Holland BC5060 small square baler and TT2.50 48 horsepower tractor with auto-guidance were demonstrated to staff and students, who were impressed by the combination of reliable machinery and smart technology.

Bolsters Hershey’s commitment to support increased incomes for cocoa farming households

Supports objectives included in Côte d’Ivoire’s National Strategy for Sustainable Cocoa

HERSHEY, Pa., May 11, 2023 /3BL Media/ – The Hershey Company (NYSE: HSY) announced the launch of its Income Accelerator in Côte d’Ivoire. The program will support increased incomes for cocoa farming households through the provision of cash transfers (CTs) and investments in village savings and loan associations (VSLAs). Designed and implemented with input from the Conseil du Café-Cacao, the Rainforest Alliance and CARE, the Income Accelerator offers a proven, multi-faceted approach to help address cocoa farmer poverty while also supporting sustainable farming practices and mitigating the risk of child labor.

“The Income Accelerator is part of Hershey’s long-term commitment to make a real difference in the lives of cocoa farmers and their children,” said Jason Reiman, Chief Supply Chain Officer at The Hershey Company. “We are proud to begin this important initiative in collaboration with the government of Côte d’Ivoire and our NGO partners. Together, we can support better livelihoods for farming households and ensure bright futures for cocoa-growing communities.”

As part of the Income Accelerator, Hershey in partnership with the Rainforest Alliance will distribute mobile cash transfers of up to $600 per household per year to approximately 5,000 cocoa farming households within its supply chain. These CTs, which will offer an additional source of income for households, will be based on the adoption of sustainable and regenerative farm management practices that increase farm profitability and resiliency to unexpected environmental circumstances.

With the support of CARE and cocoa farmer cooperatives, Hershey also plans to strengthen approximately 200 existing Village Savings and Loan Associations (VSLAs) in its supply chain and establish another 350 new VSLAs. These 550 VSLAs will support an estimated 15,000 members and their families. Through these combined efforts, the program aims to yield meaningful incremental savings per participant within three years of them becoming a VSLA member. VSLAs provide members, particularly women and single mothers, a local structure for increasing savings and accessing loans at low interest rates in farming communities where formal banking and micro-financing services are scarce.

“Low producer income is a root cause of child labor and deforestation. We support this Income Accelerator program because the issue of producer income is at the heart of our concerns,” said Yves Brahima Koné, Managing Director at Conseil du Café-Cacao.

The Income Accelerator is based on proven poverty reduction strategies aimed at increasing incomes and supporting professionalized farming practices. It is well aligned with objectives included in the government of Côte d’Ivoire’s National Strategy for Sustainable Cocoa (SNCD). Research has shown that farmers receiving financial literacy and farm business training via CTs,1 and with access to savings and loans institutions, are more likely to have higher household incomes and engagement of women in household decision-making.2 With increased incomes and more professionalized operations, farming households are less likely to rely on children for hazardous work. They are also more likely to have enhanced food security and additional resources that can be invested in their children’s education and overall wellbeing.

Nanga Kone, Country Director for Côte d’Ivoire at the Rainforest Alliance, said: “One of the most urgent problems cocoa farmers face is that the income they get from their crop is not enough to achieve a decent standard of living. Combined with the impact of climate change, even in good years, many smallholder farmers struggle to make ends meet. Guided by three decades of research and experience, we believe that the Income Accelerator will help ensure long-term financial and quality of life benefit for cocoa farmers and their families in Côte d’Ivoire. The Rainforest Alliance looks forward to working in partnership with Hershey to help farmers link the short-term cash payments to their farm’s long-term sustainability and profitability strategy.”

“Since 1991, CARE has helped more than 13.5 million people join savings groups, and we aim to engage 62 million people in savings groups by 2030. Savings groups help women, girls and families across the globe increase their incomes and access food and healthcare. In fact, our research has shown that women who participate in savings groups triple their incomes. Hershey’s continued investment and support for the VLSA program will have a transformational impact on the lives of cocoa-producing families and communities throughout Côte d’Ivoire,” said Michelle Nunn, President and CEO at CARE.

The Income Accelerator is expected to positively impact no fewer than 20,000 households within Hershey’s supply chain and related communities. To measure and evaluate progress, Hershey will leverage tools and expertise provided by a Learning Advisory Committee that includes Sustainable Food Lab and is chaired by the Conseil du Café-Cacao. Updates on the program’s progress will be provided on the Hershey website and in its annual ESG report. Hershey is committed to continued collaboration with industry and governmental partners in Côte d’Ivoire to ensure the program has a long-term beneficial impact for cocoa farming households.

About The Hershey Company

The Hershey Company is headquartered in Hershey, Pa., and is an industry-leading snacks company known for bringing goodness to the world through its iconic brands, remarkable people and enduring commitment to help children succeed. Hershey has nearly 20,000 employees around the world who work every day to deliver delicious, quality products. The company has more than 100 brand names in approximately 80 countries around the world that drive $10.4 billion in annual revenues, including such iconic brand names as Hershey’s, Reese’s, Kit Kat®, Jolly Rancher and Ice Breakers, and fast-growing salty snacks including SkinnyPop, Pirate’s Booty and Dot’s Homestyle Pretzels.

For more than 125 years, Hershey has been committed to operating fairly, ethically and sustainably. Hershey founder, Milton Hershey, created the Milton Hershey School in 1909 and since then the company has focused on helping children succeed.

To learn more visit thehersheycompany.com.

About CARE

Founded in 1945 with the creation of the CARE Package®, CARE is a leading humanitarian organization fighting global poverty. CARE places special focus on working alongside women and girls. Equipped with the proper resources women and girls have the power to lift whole families and entire communities out of poverty. In 2022, CARE worked in over 110 countries, reaching more than 170 million people through 1,600 projects.

To learn more, visit www.care.org.

About Rainforest Alliance

The Rainforest Alliance is an international non-profit organization working in 70 countries at the intersection of business, agriculture and forests. The Rainforest Alliance is creating a more sustainable world by using social and market forces to protect nature and improve the lives of farmers and forest communities. By bringing farmers, forest communities, companies, and individuals together it addresses some of the most pressing social and environmental challenges of today. The organization changes the way the world produces, sources and consumes, with a focus on cocoa, coffee, tea, bananas, and other tropical commodities through its certification program, supply chain services, landscape management, and advocacy. In 2021, more than 6 million hectares of farmland was certified against the Rainforest Alliance or UTZ standards and 4 million farmers and farmworkers participated in the Rainforest Alliance or UTZ certification programs, which are designed to improve economic, environmental, and social sustainability.

1 Bastagli, F., Hagen-Zanker, J., Harman, L., Barca, V., Sturge, G., Schmidt, T., & Pellerano, L. (2016, July 27). Cash transfers: What does the evidence say? ODI.org. https://odi.org/en/publications/cash-transfers-what-does-the-evidence-say-a-rigorous-review-of-impacts-and-the-role-of-design-and-implementation-features/

2 CARE (2022, August 18). VSLA By the Numbers: A Comprehensive Analysis of the Impact and ROI of VSLAs. Care.org. https://www.careevaluations.org/evaluation/vsla-by-the-numbers-a-comprehensive-analysis-of-the-impact-and-roi-of-vslas/

SOURCE The Hershey Company

International Paper released its 2022 Sustainability Report, which illustrates the progress made on our Vision 2030 goals and outlines our commitment to building a better future for people, the planet and our company.

From planet-friendly packaging to pulp for absorbent products, we transform renewable resources into products people depend on every day. As one of North America’s largest recyclers, we deliver circular solutions that reduce waste and build a better future for our planet.

International Paper recognizes its impacts and dependencies on natural and human capital, and its responsibility to promote the health of people and our planet because we know that’s what’s needed for a livable world and a thriving society.

About International Paper 
International Paper (NYSE: IP) is a leading global supplier of renewable fiber-based products. We produce corrugated packaging products that protect and promote goods, and enable worldwide commerce, and pulp for diapers, tissue and other personal care products that promote health and wellness. Headquartered in Memphis, Tenn., we employ approximately 38,000 colleagues globally. We serve customers worldwide, with manufacturing operations in North America, Latin America, North Africa and Europe. Net sales for 2021 were $19.4 billion. See how we’re building a better future for people, the planet, and our company at internationalpaper.com/Vision-2030.

AUSTIN, Texas, May 11, 2023 /3BL Media/ – The three day event opened with remarks from founding member Nancy Easton, Executive Director of Wellness in the Schools who stated “we are not an organization, we are a collaborative; and this is not a conference, it is a gathering. There are no vendors here to sell you anything, only a space to connect and learn from each other.” ScratchWorks was conceived during the summer of 2019 when a group of nonprofits and school food service operators came together to consider what could be done to accelerate change in school food. ScratchWorks was born, a collective of school food professionals and non-profit organizations, developed by and for food service operators, committed to supporting school districts in cooking school meals from scratch using whole, fresh ingredients. Unique to this collective is its funding model – the donors, Life Time Foundation and Whole Kids Foundation, are also its partners who continually collaborate with the districts to meet their goals.

A significant component of support offered by this collective was the development of a multi-day professional development and networking event that brought together school food programs from across the country wanting to increase their scratch cooking practices. The inaugural event took place in Austin, TX on April 24-26, 2023. Representatives from over 100 school districts came together for this multi-day event, featuring nearly 20 educational sessions led by school food operation leaders from across the country. Sessions included topics such as Scratch vs. Speed Scratch, Message Development for Your Program, Policies and Legislation Supporting Scratch Cooking, Recipe and Menu Development and many more. Founding member and Minneapolis Public Schools, Director Culinary and Wellness Services Bertrand Weber commented, “You could feel how different this event was and how invigorated attendees were after the three days, building these relationships will ensure we have a network to lean on when we have questions,”

The event opened up with a keynote address by Chef Andrew Zimmern, TV personality, chef, writer and social justice advocate. Chef Zimmern applauded the attendees for pushing past the status quo and emphatically stated, “the question isn’t can we afford to do this? The fact is we can’t afford not to. It would cost us17B$ to fully restore scratch cooking in our national public school system, including equipment, re-builds, product and staff. Sounds like a lot. But our federal budget is 6.3T$ annually. So 17B$ is a rounding error when it comes to the cost, it’s .0027% of the federal budget.”

School food leaders from districts across 18 states and representing enrollment of over 1.1 million students shared in their excitement for a new kind of event. While there are many conferences that support a broad spectrum of school food operation topics, this gathering was the first national event to focus all of its educational sessions and experiences around scratch cooking in schools. It is well known that scratch cooking presents more complexities than serving packaged food and we believe that bringing leaders together to share their experiences and build relationships is one of the most significant things that can be done to increase scratch cooking in schools in our country.

The closing session was an interview with USDA’s Food and Nutrition Services Administrator, Cindy Long, who offered up her philosophy on scratch cooking in schools; “what I feel like I’ve learned is that there is no one answer for every circumstance. Scratch cooking clearly offers benefits. You have much more control. You can tailor to your community. It supports engagement and connection with food”. When the floor was opened for questions, district leaders asked about the new proposed rule, particularly around more stringent sodium standards. Administrator Long emphasized that new proposed updates to the nutrition standards are to be executed over 10-years and they are applied to a menu cycle not a meal, so with scratch cooking there is more flexibility.

Since cooking and food were at the core of the experience, districts were encouraged to submit their recipes prior as event planners chose breakfast and lunch menus. Some of the favorites included a Chickpea Masala submitted by Bellingham Washington Public Schools and a Cambodian Lok Lak served at Lowell Public Schools in MA, which caters to their local Southeast Asian student population.

ScratchWorks is a collective of school food professionals and non-profit organizations committed to supporting school districts in cooking school meals from scratch using whole, fresh ingredients that provide students with the nutrition they need for their educational success, health and wellbeing. Founding members include Andrew Benson, Ann Cooper, Amy Maclosky, Ryan Mikolaycik, Stephen O’Brien and Bertrand Weber as well as Chef Ann Foundation, Life Time Foundation, Wellness in the Schools and Whole Kids Foundation. 

Contact: Nona Evans
Email: Nona.Evans@outlook.com           
Tel:  512.289.9258

The India edition of Lenovo’s global Work For Humankind initiative commemorates the International Year of Millets, aiming to improve the accessibility and productivity of millet farmers in Kanthalloor, KeralaKanthalloor, a pristine location, is home to 13 tribal wards that have traditionally farmed millet for generations.Using Lenovo technology, volunteers, local students, and influencers will collaborate to make a lasting positive impact in a currently underserved community whilst working remotely.

May 11, 2023 /3BL Media/ – Following the global success of Lenovo’s Work For Humankind initiative, Lenovo announces the launch of its India edition of Work For Humankind, which will use Lenovo’s smarter technology to revive millet cultivation in the scenic village of Kanthalloor, Kerala. In partnership with Dream India Network and local student volunteers, Lenovo employees will make a long-lasting positive impact on the millet farming community while working remotely from Kanthalloor.

Work For Humankind’s location, Kanthalloor, is a village surrounded by the Western Ghats mountains. It’s a location under constant cover of mist and evergreen forest, and a fertile agricultural paradise. Historically, over 18 varieties of millet were grown in this region, but today it has dwindled to just two types.1 The farmers of this village have given up on traditional millet cultivation due to factors such as climate change and a lack of formal market access.2 Only one tribal community, isolated deep within the protected forests, continues to grow millet for self-consumption. To revive millet farming practices in this secluded community, Lenovo’s smarter technology will play a pivotal role in improving accessibility, increasing awareness around the benefits of millet farming, and enhancing local farming knowledge and best practices. Market linkages are essential to transforming the millet food system into a profitable and sustainable model that supports rural livelihoods. Building digital inclusion for local farmers is the first step in this direction.

Lenovo employees, student volunteers, agriculture experts, and influencers with diverse skill sets will be chosen to participate in this initiative, supporting the local community in millet cultivation while continuing to work their regular day jobs remotely from Kanthalloor. The project will tap into Lenovo’s broad portfolio from devices such as ThinkPad, Yoga, motorola edge, and tablets to solutions and services like Lenovo’s CO2 Offset Service and cloud solutions. Lenovo is setting up the ‘Lenovo Digital Centre for Kanthalloor Millets’ at IHRD College Kanthalloor, the first centre of its kind for the millet farming community. The centre will be powered by Lenovo’s broad portfolio of cutting-edge devices, services, and solutions. The aim of the Digital Centre, is to become a hub that provides famers with access to critical information and best practices on millet farming, help Work For Humankind volunteers gather data and analyze the impact of implemented solutions, develops early adopters in millet production, and builds awareness for market linkages. Lenovo volunteers will be working to provide digital access to information on government programs and millet cultivation methods to key stakeholders within the local community. This intervention will work towards improving the technological access of the community at large, addressing the overarching challenge of the ‘digital divide’ in the region.

The United Nations declared 2023 as the ‘International Year of Millets’, and subsequently the national and global millet value chain has seen significant increases in productivity and momentum. However, several marginalized farmers who run smaller, independent operations in pockets across India have not been able to leverage the benefits. Reasons being: lack of awareness, lack of skill sets, limited market linkages, and inaccessibility to the latest agri-tech.3 These barriers have led to inefficient production and little to no profitability. To bridge this gap, Lenovo employees and student volunteers will collaborate with partners to run an in-depth analysis of the local millet food system and prototype a model to help farmers cultivate millet through sustainable farming practices. By the end of the initiative, the students at the IHRD College will be trained to continue this work and help ensure that insights from this work are correctly used, and that positive changes are long-lasting.

Lenovo’s global research on the link between technology and humanity recognizes that technology is instrumental in fulfilling modern employees’ desires to work remotely in a location that also offers them the opportunity to give back. The creation of the ‘Work-from-Anywhere’ model is essential as many Gen Z employees in the workforce believe philanthropy and making a positive impact within communities is important.4 In fact, Lenovo’s research highlighted that a third of respondents in India would use their spare time while “working from anywhere” to volunteer and give back to the local community. At Lenovo, this belief is captured in the Work For Humankind initiative, which combines the vision of delivering smarter technology for the millet farming community in Kerala, with the volunteer work of skilled employees, to address their most pressing needs.

Announcing the initiative launch, Shailendra Katyal, Managing Director, Lenovo India, said, “With India gearing up to become the global millet hub, Lenovo’s Work For Humankind initiative will help Kanthalloor’s farmers to make millet cultivation more profitable and sustainable. By bringing together the right expertise and Lenovo’s cutting-edge tech devices, solutions and services, we aim to mobilize the local community and make millet farming more commercially viable for them. At Lenovo, we are committed to leaving a lasting legacy with the community work we undertake and for the benefits to be felt long after the Work For Humankind initiative is complete. That’s why we are partnering with Dream India Network, Organic Kerala, and the Gram Panchayat in Kanthalloor to bring this vision to life. We are also thankful to the College of Applied Science, IHRD, Kanthalloor, and the Forest Department for their ongoing support of this initiative.”

Dr. Saju Parackal, Board Member, Dream India Network, commented, “We look forward to contributing our expertise in developing the infrastructure and agricultural training programs to benefit the farming community in Kanthalloor. Lenovo’s Work For Humankind India program seeks to engage farmers and the local youth, and build awareness of the benefits they can reap from millet cultivation. Access to information on farming best practices that are rooted in science is key to transforming the current food system into one that is commercially viable and desirable. Dream India Network will work closely with the student and Lenovo volunteers to capture learnings on-the-ground and report the progress of the interventions introduced.”

Kanth Mohandas, Kanthalloor Gram Panchayat President, expressed that, “Kanthalloor welcomes Lenovo’s partnership to create a one-year roadmap to boost local millet cultivation. Millet is part of Kanthalloor’s history, and we must revive our traditional farming practices with the help of modern interventions. Technology, accessibility, and market avenues are necessary to create a profitable model for millet farming. The Gram Panchayat will support awareness-building activities, and work with Lenovo volunteers to increase the production of millet and market linkages in Kanthalloor. We look forward to hosting various local millet-themed events and seeing our farming community thrive.”

Dr. S. Sindu, Principal of IHRD College Kanthalloor, said, “The IHRD College of Applied Science is partnering with Lenovo for its Work For Humankind campaign and will host the Kanthalloor Millet Tech Centre on our campus. Our students will be volunteering to monitor and develop opportunities for local millet farmers by manning the Tech Centre, powered by Lenovo technology. We are excited to play a key role in enabling digital inclusivity in the region and to build on shared synergies for millet cultivation in Kanthalloor.”

1 https://www.newindianexpress.com/states/kerala/2022/feb/20/millet-reigns-supreme-in-idukki-tribal-settlement-2421589.html
2 Work for Humankind: Mobilizing the local community to revive millets in Kanthalloor by leveraging Lenovo’s technology ecosystem, Baseline Report, 2 March, 2023
3 Out of 227 households surveyed, all reported having no information about schemes for millet cultivation and other market avenues, except for their local markets. They also reported having no awareness and access to technological tools for millet production. Work for Humankind: Mobilizing the local community to revive millets in Kanthalloor by leveraging Lenovo’s technology ecosystem, Baseline Report, 2 March, 2023
4 Out of 15,000 respondents surveyed, 70% say they would have a highly favorable view of a tech company that could enable “Work from Anywhere” and help to identify ways to give back and make a positive impact in that location. Work for Humankind: Global Research Report

About Work for Humankind Initiative:
Work For Humankind is Lenovo’s global initiative to make a positive, and long-lasting difference in the world, while working from a remote place with Lenovo’s smarter technology. The India edition of the ‘Work For Humankind’ initiative will seek to leverage Lenovo’s tech ecosystem to enhance the efficiency and productivity of farmers in Kerala, allowing them to move from self-consumption to commercial production of millets. This initiative is a result of the global research study, spanning 8 countries, including India, and building on Lenovo’s journey towards understanding the powerful connection between technology and humanity.

About Lenovo:
Lenovo (HKSE: 992) (ADR: LNVGY) is a US$70 billion revenue global technology powerhouse, ranked #171 in the Fortune Global 500, employing 82,000 people around the world, and serving millions of customers every day in 180 markets. Focused on a bold vision to deliver smarter technology for all, Lenovo has built on its success as the world’s largest PC company by further expanding into key growth areas including server, storage, mobile, solutions and services. This transformation together with Lenovo’s world-changing innovation is building a more inclusive, trustworthy, and sustainable digital society for everyone, everywhere. To find out more visit https://www.lenovo.com, and read about the latest news via our StoryHub.

Water scarcity affects the livelihoods of small farmers around the world. IBM and Texas A&M AgriLife are collaborating through the IBM Sustainability Accelerator to deploy and scale Liquid Prep, a tech solution that provides “when to water” decision support to farmers, in arid regions of the United States.

May 11, 2023 /3BL Media/ – The Ray announced that the U.S. Department of Transportation (USDOT) has awarded $5.1 million to The Ray and partners Arcadis, InfraStrategies, and Beverly Scott Associates to support 15 communities as a Networked Communities capacity builder within the USDOT’s Thriving Communities Program. The 15 communities matched with The Ray are located near ports, airports, freight, and rail facilities. Community infrastructure needs and priorities will drive The Ray’s capacity building strategy and focus on mobility, access, housing, economic issues, workforce development, and environmental justice.

The Thriving Communities Program provides two years of no-cost, intensive technical assistance to under-resourced or disadvantaged communities to help identify, develop, and deliver transportation projects that can both strengthen and transform their community. The technical assistance and capacity building approach includes support for all stages of projects, from planning and permitting to procurement and contract administration, through construction, operation and maintenance.

“My father, Ray C. Anderson, helped to green the White House and chaired a sustainability committee under two Presidents,” said Harriet Langford, founder of The Ray. “Yet again, through The Ray’s partnership with Thriving Communities, his commitment to net-zero, his belief in technology for good, and his influence through proving – then scaling fast – will be shared across the country with communities that need it most today.”

About the Thriving Communities Program

The Bipartisan Infrastructure Law and Inflation Reduction Act provides historic, unprecedented federal investment in transportation and infrastructure. Before now, local communities have not been traditional partners to the federal government and have not had the opportunity to receive direct federal funding. The Thriving Communities Program recognizes that these communities are at a disadvantage when competing for federal funds. The Program is designed to bridge the resources gap by pairing these communities with organizations that offer a variety of capacity building services, intended to give communities the ability to compete for and leverage these funds to build and sustain their own infrastructure development.

“The approach of the Thriving Communities Program centers on equity, community leadership, and workforce development to build and embed long-lasting, community-driven infrastructure solutions,” said Laura Rogers, Deputy Director of The Ray.

The capacity builder team led by The Ray will work on the front lines with the 15 Networked Communities to ensure they are in a position to compete for and benefit from federal resources, creating transformational opportunities to plan and implement impactful infrastructure projects. The Ray’s proven record of success working with local, state, and regional government agencies, coupled with wide ranging relationships with industry through public-private-philanthropic partnerships (P4), will be leveraged to lead this capacity building approach. The capacity builder team is entirely woman-led and understands the importance of building wealth, empowering communities, and providing equitable access to support people and communities so they can thrive. The team will support these communities by providing:

Technology transferConnections to private sector technologists and expertsConnections to peer transportation agenciesAdvanced planning tools and softwareTechnical assistanceProcurement assistanceProject organization and facilitation Policy analysisPublic awareness and promotionFinancial evaluation, planning, & strategy

Networked Communities

Networked Communities are special places where families can grow, businesses can thrive, and underserved, overburdened, and disadvantaged communities can flourish if provided the opportunity. Many of the communities that were chosen for the Program had previously applied for federal funding but were unsuccessful due to a lack of necessary resources to be competitive. The communities also come into the Program with varying levels of needs that range from advancing stalled feasibility studies to securing funds for the implementation of policy and infrastructure improvements. The Networked Communities are from urban, suburban, and rural communities that are located near significant transportation facilities and include:

Montgomery, AlabamaWrangell, AlaskaSaint Paul, AlaskaDouglas, ArizonaSan Lois, ArizonaOsceola Port Authority, ArkansasDoraville, GeorgiaDetroit, MichiganChester Economic Development Authority, PennsylvaniaPottstown, PennsylvaniaCharleston Area Transportation Study, South CarolinaBrownsville, TexasKearns Metro Township, UtahNisqually Indian Tribe, WashingtonUpper Kanawha Valley Strategic Initiative Council, Washington

“The Ray, from its inception, has leveraged philanthropy through the P4 model – via technical assistance, powerful software and tools, and a stubborn commitment to project execution – to accelerate our mission to achieve net-zero transportation,” said Rogers. She continued, “The Thriving Communities Program is evocative of The Ray’s core model that we’ve fine-tuned over the last eight years, and now we have the privilege to work with USDOT in partnership through TCP to scale our impact even more broadly.”

Bringing Together Experienced Partners and Innovative Technologies

The Ray, Arcadis, InfraStrategies, and Beverly Scott and Associates are a team of world-class experts who are transforming transportation infrastructure by leading the way with some of the world’s boldest thinking, building projects that inspire confidence in new innovations, and showing that the technologies and path to achieve safe, sustainable, and equitable transportation already exist. Using their combined experience, the team will work with the USDOT to help plan, develop, and support the scaling of infrastructure improvement projects across the 15 communities selected as Networked Communities.

About The Ray

The Ray is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit charity and net-zero highway testbed, located on 18 miles of Interstate 85 between Lagrange, Georgia and the Georgia-Alabama state line. This stretch of interstate is named in memory of Ray C. Anderson (1934-2011), a Georgia native recognized as a leader in green business when he challenged his company, Interface, Inc., to pursue a zero environmental footprint. Our mission is to reimagine how we connect our communities, our lives and the world in a way that is safer, more responsive to the climate, more regenerative to the environment, and more capable of creating economic opportunity through innovative ideas and technologies that will transform transportation infrastructure. The Ray is paving the way for a zero carbon, zero waste, zero deaths highway system that will build a safer and more prosperous future for us all. Learn more at www.TheRay.org.

About Arcadis

Arcadis is a leading global Design & Consultancy organization for natural and built assets. Applying our deep market sector insights and collective design, consultancy, engineering, project and management services we work in partnership with our clients to deliver exceptional and sustainable outcomes throughout the lifecycle of their natural and built assets. We are 36,000 people, active in over 70 countries that generate €4.2 billion in gross revenues (based on 2021 full year pro forma figures). We support UN-Habitat with knowledge and expertise to improve the quality of life in rapidly growing cities around the world. Learn more at www.arcadis.com.

About InfraStrategies

InfraStrategies LLC is a US-based consultancy focused on developing, funding, financing, and managing infrastructure programs. The firm provides strategic advisory and program management services to public and governmental agencies and private sector infrastructure and technology developers globally. Learn more at www.infrastrategies.com.

About Beverly Scott and Associates

PEOPLE AND COMMUNITIES MATTER: Transforming Lives and Communities Through Infrastructure Investment. Beverly Scott Associates, LLC is an infrastructure sector practice committed to advancing equity, inclusion, “shared prosperity” and, healthy and sustainable outcomes for historically underutilized groups and high-needs communities through smart reinvestment in American infrastructure. Learn more at https://www.beverlyscottassociates.com.

MEDIA CONTACT

Sarah Grizzle, Director of Communications, The Ray 310.699.2054 | sgrizzle@theray.org | @TheRayHighway