Tag: 3BL

Originally published on TriplePundit.com

Meta data centers are among the most advanced, energy-efficient in the world. Despite their enormous footprint, however, these structures are designed with the respect of our land, our communities, and our people in mind by incorporating design and construction strategies that conserve energy and water, eliminate waste, and responsibly source materials. The result: Our facilities are LEED Gold certified and supported by 100 percent renewable energy.

To drive innovation and efficiency beyond these high standards, our team has multiple pilot programs in various stages of pursuit and delivery. They vary from experimenting with low-carbon concrete and tracking the circular economy of materials, to testing the feasibility of an all-electric construction vehicle fleet and sourcing alternative fuel sources. Yet they are united by one goal: to create future data centers on the cutting edge of performance and sustainability.

A successful pilot means not only securing buy-in from internal stakeholders, along with funding and manpower, but also mapping a path to applicability and scalability across the enterprise. When it comes to determining whether a pilot is viable, our team begins with a five-factor framework:

Impact: What is the impact of this strategy?Application: What is the universality of the pilot?Engagement: How will we communicate, with various stakeholders, a message that will most resonate?Prioritization: Where will this fall in the line of current and future projects/initiatives?Funding: What is the cost (money, time, effort, education/training) to implement?

These questions help us shape each pilot and support higher-level focuses, such as reducing Meta’s carbon footprint. When Meta’s Net Zero program was in its infancy, for example, we strategized pilots to test new technologies and approaches to track the impacts of material composition in our mechanical, electrical and plumbing equipment; our facilities’ operational waste; and potential of alternative fuel types.

In 2021, we proposed HVO (hydrogenated vegetable oil) as a carbon-saving alternative to diesel for construction equipment at one of our European facilities. The site had regional availability of the fuel type, plus the application and contractor partner were deemed a good fit. Ultimately, timing and cost made the pilot too challenging to pursue. Fortunately, our team’s extensive analysis on HVO provided the solid promise for a future opportunity with a greater understanding of a successful pilot proposal and further refinement of stakeholder engagement, as well as a new Risk Registry tool to identify potential risks in a project that can derail intended outcomes.

Today, those lessons have shaped an exciting pilot to test low-carbon concrete, the primary contributor to emissions from data center construction (and 8 percent of global emissions overall). Our pilot leveraged artificial intelligence (AI) to identify and test low-carbon concrete mixes and, ultimately, resulted in use at scale in our data center in DeKalb, Illinois, in 2022. In a partnership with the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, we utilized AI to find a sustainable concrete mix with 40 percent lower carbon emissions. The team worked closely with our concrete trade partner, Ozinga, on test applications in non-critical areas to meet a combined goal of both low-carbon and long-term strength requirements.

It’s true that the carbon footprint during the data center construction phase can often be overlooked. To offset this, we work with our general contractors to communicate ways to reduce (and eliminate) the barriers to going green on a typical job site. Meta’s general contractors now implement technologies and processes for more efficient builds, linking to carbon reductions with partners and circularity in our materials. At our Altoona, Iowa, site, we are upscaling onsite tracking to include both construction and operational waste (as well as using hybrid-fuel construction equipment). It’s just one combination leading our builds to greater, sustainable impact.

Thanks to our robust and vetted piloting program, along with engaged stakeholders, we are able to build with successful social and environmental impacts while providing opportunities to integrate new technologies and strategies across our portfolio. We minimize risks across our facilities by testing ideas — whether a change in design or construction, or even a process — and gain wider acceptance before rolling it out for wide-scale application.

And thus, our work toward greater performance and sustainability continues to build.

This article series is sponsored by Meta. 

At Covia, Safety First is a core value that we’ve embedded into our culture and mindset throughout our organization. We take numerous steps to ensure that Safety and Health remains a daily and consistent focus for our Team Members, contractors, vendors, suppliers, and customers. This became particularly important when a Team Member at our Camden, Tennessee Plant recently experienced a health emergency.

The Camden Plant, approximately 80 miles west of Nashville, has a rich history, having been established in the late 1920s. It was originally an open pit, with sand hauled by truck to the processing plant. Years later it was retrofitted with an integrated steel pipeline and has since been converted to HDPE polyethylene pipe, allowing the plant to slurry and pump the material to the processing plant. Today, Camden’s pipeline is nearly eight miles long, creating complexities within the pipeline that cannot be seen externally.

The plant is home to a special group of Covia Team Members who work uniquely well together – they fondly refer to themselves as ‘family’. This plant supports our Industrial Sand segment, primarily the container, automotive, and pharmaceutical glass markets. They also support sodium silicates, fused silica, building materials, and sports & recreation.

While Team Members at Camden focus on their customers, communities, and environment, their primary focus is really on each other – and more specifically each other’s safety and well-being, as shown by their recent actions.

Team Members were going about their day when an emergency struck. They found one of their friends, Calvin “Lee” Bullion, slumped over a steering wheel near the southwest portion of the site. Team Members jumped into action, after checking for vitals, they quickly realized he was not responsive, and called 911. Knowing they were at the furthest corner of the plant, and more than 15 minutes away from an emergency vehicle arriving, they retrieved the first-aid kit and AED. While they waited for emergency medical help to arrive, Team Members started CPR and administered shocks to restart Lee’s heart. They monitored Lee and protected him from the sun until the First Responders finally arrived and Lee was air-lifted to a local hospital specializing in cardiac issues. Covia’s heroes were applauded by the First Responders — they had just saved their friend’s life! Today, they are happy to have their friend back at work, happy and healthy and grateful for Covia’s commitment to Life Saving Rules! Lee commented, “I am proud to share my story and grateful for the opportunity to recognize this amazing team who saved my life.”

“To say that I am proud of the Team Members involved in this life saving event is an understatement,” said Paul Alford, Camden’s Plant Manager. “I can’t overstate the importance of emergency preparedness and looking out for each other!”

For more information about Safety First at Covia, please see the 2021 ESG Report (https://www.coviacorp.com/esg/documents/).

New tools complement existing e-mobility charging test portfolio with component-level and field testing solutionsSolutions improve product interoperability through conformance testing and type approvals by focusing on communications protocolsExpansion provides support for the entire electric vehicle charging development cycle

SANTA ROSA, Calif., May 1, 2023 /3BL Media/ – Keysight Technologies, Inc. (NYSE: KEYS) has expanded its electric vehicle (EV) and electric vehicle supply equipment (EVSE) charging test portfolio to create an industry-leading toolset of design, emulation, and test solutions for e-mobility. The newly introduced tools complement Keysight’s EV / EVSE charging test portfolio with component-level and field testing solutions.

The EV market is experiencing dynamic growth with the number of electric cars expected to reach more than 300 million globally by 2030 according to the International Energy Agency. To meet this demand, automakers and electric charging infrastructure manufacturers are working quickly to design and release new products to the market. However, interoperability among e-mobility products is a growing concern for the industry, as is the rising complexity of charging use cases ranging from fast charging to bidirectional power transfer such as vehicle-to-home.

The expansion of Keysight’s e-mobility charging test portfolio helps EV / EVSE manufacturers tackle these complexities with solutions addressing the underlying communications protocols used in e-mobility products. Keysight’s new charging test solutions improve interoperability between EVs and EVSE products through conformance testing and type approvals by focusing on the complete range of communications protocols employed by the Combined Charging System (CCS) standards.

Keysight’s new e-mobility charging test solutions include:

SL1550A EV – EVSE Charging Communication Interface Tester (Com Tester) – A fully integrated test adapter for electric vehicle communication controllers (EVCC) or supply equipment communication controllers (SECC) enabling equipment emulation or test case execution to test charging communication and protocols. The Com Tester provides component-level testing for development tests, type approval tests, manufacturing tests (end-of-line), and hardware-in-the-loop tests.SL1556A CCS Charging Protocol Tracer (Protocol Tracer) – A portable power line communication (PLC) sniffer enabling seamless observation of the CCS communication channel between EV and EVSE in the lab or in the field through conductive or inductive coupling with the charging cable. When used with the Keysight SL1487A CCS Charging Protocol Trace Viewer (CPT), over-the-wire data transfer between EV and EVSE can be analyzed to resolve interoperability issues.SL156XA EV – EVSE Charging Test Robot Series – A test automation process that can be used with the Com Tester to incorporate mechanical actuators to simplify the testing process and enable fully automated testing sequences with hundreds of test cases.TTCN-3 Charging Communication Test Automation Software (CCT) – An automated conformance testing solution for CCS charging communication-based on ISO 15118 conformance testing standards that empowers design engineers to prepare for type approvals and certification tests.Smart Charging Emulation Software (SCE) – A highly customizable and configurable emulation environment for scenario- and functional-driven EV and EVSE tests based on CCS Basic, CCS Extended, and CCS Advanced profiles supporting DIN 70121, ISO 15118-2/-3, and ISO 15118-20/-3.CCS Charging Protocol Trace Viewer (CPT) – A software application that enables decoding of CCS charging protocols and supports the DIN 70121, ISO 15118-2/-20 for vehicle-to-grid communication standard as well as other proprietary messages defined for the hardware abstraction layer.

EV smart charging infrastructure innovation center ElaadNL has adopted the new Keysight Com Tester in combination with the SL1047A Scienlab Charging Discovery System – High-Power Series, the SL1203 Scienlab Regenerative AC / Grid Emulator, and the SL1830A Scienlab Regenerative DC Emulator to support its industry partners in the development of new e-mobility products. Keysight’s complete EV / EVSE charging test portfolio enables ElaadNL to help automakers and charging system manufacturers implement new standards such as the Megawatt Charging System.

Onoph Caron, Director of ElaadNL, said: “Keysight’s complete charging test portfolio provides the tools we need to help our partners emulate real-life use cases to analyze the effects of EV charging on the power grid – both for quality and immunity tests. With these new solutions, we can speed innovation by mitigating interoperability challenges to bring new products to market quickly and smoothly, especially with new market developments such as vehicle-to-grid and new versions of the ISO 15118 standard. As an open facility, the ElaadNL test lab is working closely with our partners in the industry to build a robust energy system for new mobility.”

Thomas Goetzl, Vice President and General Manager for Keysight’s Automotive & Energy Solutions, said: “With the introduction of new communications-based charging test solutions to Keysight’s already strong EV / EVSE test portfolio, we are giving the industry the tools it needs to respond to the accelerating e-mobility market. Keysight is the only vendor offering a complete turn-key solution, from R&D to maintenance.”

About Keysight Technologies

At Keysight (NYSE: KEYS), we inspire and empower innovators to bring world-changing technologies to life. As an S&P 500 company, we’re delivering market-leading design, emulation, and test solutions to help engineers develop and deploy faster, with less risk, throughout the entire product lifecycle. We’re a global innovation partner enabling customers in communications, industrial automation, aerospace and defense, automotive, semiconductor, and general electronics markets to accelerate innovation to connect and secure the world. Learn more at Keysight Newsroom and www.keysight.com.

WEST CHESTER, Pa., May 1, 2023 /3BL Media/ – QVC, a world leader in live video commerce (“vCommerce”) and Cosmetic Executive Women (CEW) are proud to announce the return of the highly anticipated Beauty with Benefits multiplatform shopping event, supporting Cancer and Careers. Over the past decade, Beauty with Benefits has raised over $16 million for Cancer and Careers. In its 11th year, the event will offer a video shopping experience for beauty enthusiasts while raising funds to help people with cancer thrive in their workplace. To increase awareness for this year’s campaign, celebrity makeup artist and founder of Mally Beauty, Mally Roncal, will lend her vibrant spirit and passion as the spokesperson for the event.

The event will be celebrated across QVC’s digital, streaming and social platforms beginning Monday, May 1 with a special live broadcast on May 16, 2023, from 9-11 p.m. ET. Customers can shop an assortment of color cosmetics, fragrance, skincare, body and haircare products from over 40 leading beauty brands such as Drunk Elephant, Laura Geller, tarte, Beekman 1802, SK-II, Too Faced, ELEMIS, and WEN by Chaz Dean, as well as newcomers including Hey Honey, Caire Beauty, Timeless Skin Care, Briogeo and Pixi Beauty. A minimum of 70 percent of the purchase price* of donated merchandise benefits Cancer and Careers. As an added incentive for shoppers, QVC is offering a special Gift with Purchase, a 9-piece gift bag with a minimum value of $178**. Every Gift with Purchase includes the following beauty products: Sunday Riley Good Genes All-In-One Lactic Acid Serum, philosophy Purity, TULA Signature Glow Mist, Supergoop! Sheerscreen and Aveeno Oat Milk Blend Conditioner; as well as a selection of additional beauty products from participating vendors.

“I am so honored to be returning this year as the spokesperson to bring awareness to the important work of Cancer and Careers,” said Mally Roncal, Founder of Mally Beauty. “This is such a special event for the entire beauty industry and one that I look forward to every year. Beauty is not just about looking your most fabulous on the outside, but also about feeling confident and empowered on the inside. My hope through this event is to inspire everyone to give back and to help make a difference in the lives of cancer survivors.”

“We are so proud of the impact Beauty with Benefits has had on the Cancer and Careers organization,” said Anna Baker, Vice President, General Merchandise Manager, Beauty, QVC. “Each year this event brings together top beauty brands, influencers, and experts to support a meaningful cause. We are grateful to our beauty community for their commitment and generosity. Together, we are helping survivors thrive.”

Cancer and Careers is the only U.S. based nonprofit that focuses on a critical survivorship issue: the fundamental need to work. The organization helps people with cancer navigate the workplace by providing expert advice, interactive tools, and educational events. Over 450,000 individuals nationwide access its expert information, events, and resources each year.

“The success of this campaign directly affects what we are able to offer patients and survivors,” shared Rebecca Nellis, Executive Director, Cancer and Careers. “Whether it’s career coaching, access to technology, job search support, or time with a social worker, Beauty with Benefits is changing people’s lives and improving the workforce for everyone.”

Select Beauty with Benefits items are available beginning May 1 on QVC.com and will be available through July 31 while supplies last. The broadcast event will air live on May 16, 2023, from 9-11 p.m. ET.

Participating brands include:

Aveeno / bareMinerals / Beekman 1802 / Belle Beauty by Kim Gravel / Blushly / Briogeo /

Bumble and bumble. / Butter London / Caire Beauty / Campanelli / Conture / Doll 10 / Dr. Denese / Drunk Elephant / ELEMIS / Gleem / hey Honey / Isle of Paradise / IT Cosmetics / Josie Maran / Julep / Lancer / Laura Geller / Lovinah Skincare / LYS Beauty / Mally Beauty / Nakery Beauty / Perfect Formula /

Perricone MD / Peter Thomas Roth / philosophy / Pixi Beauty / SK-II / Skinfix / Spa-Rific / Sunday Riley / Supergoop! / tarte / Timeless Skin Care / Too Faced / TOVA / TULA / Uoma Beauty / WEN by Chaz Dean / Westmore / YENSA

*Purchase price excludes shipping, handling and tax. 
**While supplies last. One gift bag per customer. Items and colors may vary.

About QVC® 

QVC® is a world leader in video commerce (“vCommerce”), which includes video-driven shopping across linear TV, ecommerce sites, digital streaming and social platforms. QVC empowers shoppers with knowledge and shares insights in a lively and engaging way. QVC offers an ever-changing collection of familiar brands and fresh new products – from home and fashion to beauty, electronics and jewelry – and connects shoppers to interesting personalities, engaging stories and award-winning customer service. Based in West Chester, Pa., and founded in 1986, QVC has retail operations in the U.S., the U.K., Germany, Japan and Italy. Worldwide, QVC reaches more than 200 million homes via 12 TV channels, which are widely available on cable/satellite TV, free over-the-air TV, and digital livestreaming TV. The retailer also reaches millions of customers via its QVC+ and HSN+ streaming experience, websites, mobile apps and social pages. To learn more, visit corporate.qvc.com, follow @QVC on Facebook, Instagram or Twitter, or follow QVC on Pinterest, YouTube or LinkedIn. 

Qurate Retail, Inc. (NASDAQ: QRTEA, QRTEB, QRTEP) is a Fortune 500 company that includes the Qurate Retail GroupSM portfolio of brands as well as other minority interests and green energy investments. Qurate Retail Group is the largest player in vCommerce and comprises seven leading retail brands – QVC, HSN®, Zulily®, Ballard Designs®, Frontgate®, Garnet Hill® and Grandin Road® – all dedicated to providing a more human way to shop. For more information, visit qurateretailgroup.com, follow @QurateRetailGrp on Facebook, Instagram or Twitter, or follow Qurate Retail Group on YouTube or LinkedIn. QVC and Q are registered service marks of ER Marks, Inc.

About CEW, Inc. & Cancer and Careers 

CEW is an international organization of 9,000+ individual members representing a cross section of beauty and related businesses. Additional information can be found at www.cew.org. The CEW Foundation is the philanthropic arm of CEW, Inc., which founded Cancer and Careers, a groundbreaking initiative that empowers and educates people with cancer to thrive in their workplace by providing expert advice, interactive tools and educational events. The program serves more than 450,000 people each year, online, in print, and in person. For more information, see www.CancerandCareers.org.

CLEVELAND, May 1, 2023 /3BL Media/ — KeyBank’s Key4Women will present “The Big Three for Women in Business: Balance, Confidence, and Self-Care,” a free, one-hour virtual event on Wednesday, May 17, at 3p.m. eastern standard time.

The webinar will feature three strong women who hold a variety of business roles and have found success by blazing their own paths and creating their own destinies. The audience will walk away with tips and advice on the following:

How to speak up and be heard with confidence in every interaction.How to establish a solid support network for your business and personal growth.When and how to say no when it doesn’t serve you or your business.

Guest speakers include:

Constance Hill-Johnson- Owner, Visiting Angels Cleveland, Chairperson, Board of Directors, The Cleveland Foundation.Miya Nazzaro- Managing Attorney, Nazzaro PLLCOmelia C. Thornton- CEO, First Invest Inc., and Zippy Taxes

These days, being a women business owner or professional can be demanding, leaving women depleted and feeling as though they are racing for the top, yet never getting ahead. The demand of managing your personal life adds to the exhaustion and challenge. But women must remember they are not alone. There are ways to build a resource of contacts to call on for various needs and support. But where do you start and how do you create a useful support system? This webinar will address questions of how to achieve balance, improve your confidence and create time for self-care.

“The topics of this webinar are important to all of us, yet often seem unattainable,” said Rachael Sampson, Key4Women Leader. “Key4Women is proud to bring the stories and advice of these strong women to our attendees to show them that anything is possible, and balance is within reach. We look forward to this energizing conversation and for guests to put the advice into action.”

For more information, visit key.com/women, or register online by May 16th here.

About KeyBank
KeyCorp’s roots trace back nearly 200 years to Albany, New York. Headquartered in Cleveland, Ohio, Key is one of the nation’s largest bank-based financial services companies, with assets of approximately $198 billion at March 31, 2023. Key provides deposit, lending, cash management, and investment services to individuals and businesses in 15 states under the name KeyBank National Association through a network of approximately 1,000 branches and approximately 1,300 ATMs. Key also provides a broad range of sophisticated corporate and investment banking products, such as merger and acquisition advice, public and private debt and equity, syndications and derivatives to middle market companies in selected industries throughout the United States under the KeyBanc Capital Markets trade name. For more information, visit https://www.key.com/. KeyBank is Member FDIC.

HOUSTON, May 1, 2023 /3BL Media/ – The National Diversity Council (NDC), a leading non-profit helping champion diversity and inclusion across the country, announced today the 47 companies that participated in the 2023 NDC Index and, among them, the four companies to make the Best U.S. Companies for Diversity list. The NDC Index is an annual measurement of organizational commitment to diversity and inclusion among companies in the United States. It rates companies in five assessment areas: CEO engagement, policies, benefits and initiatives, supplier diversity, community outreach and corporate social responsibility. This year’s participating companies in alphabetical order are:

AAA – The Auto Club GroupAmerican Honda MotorArkansas Children’sAston CarterBlack KnightBloomin’ BrandsBlue Cross Blue Shield of MichiganBNSF RailwayChildren’s Health System of TexasCignaCorewell HealthCox CommunicationsCross Country HealthcareCrowleyCSX TransportationDana IncorporatedEmpath HealthEnbridgeEssendantFederal Reserve Bank of ClevelandFirstKey HomesFiservGulfstream Goodwill IndustriesHeritage BankHorizon Blue Cross Blue Shield of New JerseyKellyLibbey GlassMatthews InternationalMount Sinai Health SystemNFPnVentPediatrix Medical GroupPhoebe Putney Health SystemPremier Inc.PSA AirlinesRiverside HealthcareRiverside Health SystemSecurity Service Federal Credit UnionSouthwest AirlinesVF CorporationVistra CorpVituityVSP VisionWalgreens Boots AllianceWheeler HealthWright-Patt Credit UnionWSFS Financial Corporation

Sofia Anthony, Senior Vice President and Interim CEO at the National Diversity Council, commended each participating company for their commitment to advancing DEI efforts through the NDC Index assessment.

“We are extremely excited to see the number of participating companies increase each year and applaud the 47 companies that worked diligently to complete the survey for 2023,” said Anthony. “We also congratulate this year’s top performing companies – the Best U.S. Companies for Diversity – for exemplifying best practices in diversity and inclusion within their organization and community.”

To receive the Best U.S. Companies for Diversity distinction, participants must score more than 90 points out of 100 on the NDC Index. This year’s Best U.S. Companies for Diversity in alphabetical order are: AAA – The Auto Club Group, Cigna, Corewell Health and Horizon Blue Cross Blue Shield of New Jersey.

The Best U.S. Companies for Diversity recipients commented on this recognition:

“I am honored to accept this recognition on behalf of AAA – The Auto Club Group,” said Kenneth Mathies, Vice President and Chief Diversity Officer at AAA. “This achievement is a testament to our organization’s dedication and commitment to foster an inclusive and welcoming workplace culture. We will continue to prioritize our diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives to ensure that everyone is valued, respected and empowered to experience all the benefits an authentic and inclusive culture represents.”

“True commitment and progress in supporting diversity and driving equity and inclusion must be integrated in what we do and how we do it,” said Eliana Nunez, Vice President of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion at Cigna. “Building a strong culture of belonging enables and encourages different perspectives, points of view and ideas, which ultimately helps us better serve our stakeholders and communities in which we live, work and play.”

“It is an honor to be included in the NDC Index Best U.S. Companies for Diversity and to be amongst organizations at the forefront of inclusion,” said Carlos Cubia, Chief Inclusion, Equity, Diversity and Sustainability Officer at Corewell Health. “This recognition is another example of Corewell Health’s commitment to DEI and our dedication to evaluating systems and practices to advance health for all and foster a more inclusive environment for our patients, health plan members, team members and community.”

“Horizon Blue Cross Blue Shield is proud to be recognized by the National Diversity Council as a Best U.S. Company for Diversity,” said Alison Banks-Moore, Chief Diversity Officer at Horizon Blue Cross Blue Shield of New Jersey. “We believe it is important to continuously cultivate diversity, equity and inclusion in the workplace and allow it to become a core value for all employees. Participating in the 2023 NDC Index has confirmed we are moving in the right direction as we continue developing lasting best practices in support of the work we do in creating a culture of excellence.”

All NDC Index participating companies receive a complimentary NDC Index Report to help them identify strengths and opportunities in their diversity, equity and inclusion strategies. The report includes a best practices scorecard and a comparative analysis. Registration for the 2024 NDC Index is ongoing, and the survey opens October 2023.

For more information, please visit www.ndcindex.org. 

About the National Diversity Council 
The National Diversity Council is a non-profit organization committed to fostering a learning environment for organizations to grow in their knowledge of diversity. The council affords opportunities for organizations to share best practices and learn from top corporate leaders in the areas of diversity and inclusion. More information about the National Diversity Council is available at www.nationaldiversitycouncil.org.

About the NDC Index 
The NDC Index is an annual measurement of a company’s commitment to diversity and inclusion. The NDC Index scores all companies on a scale from 0 to 100 according to diversity best practices and provides a score for each assessment area. To participate, companies must have a minimum of 500 employees or be a Fortune 1000 company with subsidiaries in the United States. There is no fee to participate in the NDC Index or to receive the NDC Index Report. The NDC adheres to strict confidentiality guidelines in the survey submission process. For more information, please visit www.ndcindex.org.

Media Contact: 
Katrina Glenn, Communications Manager, National Diversity Council 
katrina.glenn@nationaldiversitycouncil.org

Each day, Boston Scientific is dedicated to transforming lives through innovative medical solutions that improve the health of people around the world. Boston Scientific was recently recognized by the Edison Awards for two innovative products that are making a meaningful difference for the patients the company helps to serve.

EXALT™ Model B Single-Use Bronchoscope received a Gold award in the Medtech category. EXALT Model B has contributed to the evolution of the standard of care within bronchoscopy. The single-use bronchoscope was specifically designed and optimized for bedside procedures and features suction capabilities and the familiar feel of reusable models.

“At Boston Scientific, we are always pushing ourselves to drive innovation based on direct input from physicians,” said Mike Jones, senior vice president and president, Endoscopy. “EXALT Model B was designed to help provide ease of navigation and visualization during bronchoscopies. It also helps improve operational efficiencies for hospitals by removing any unplanned downtime due to equipment out for repair or having to wait for the scopes to be cleaned.”

Image guided programming with STIMVIEW™ XT technology was awarded a Silver award in Artificial Intelligence Assisted Medicine category. The advanced software, which is powered by our collaboration with Brainlab AG, is used with the Vercise Genus™ Deep Brain Stimulation (DBS) system that is designed to offer a streamlined approach to DBS programming for people living with Parkinson’s disease. STIMVIEW XT uses patient-specific, 3D visualization of the anatomy and imaging of the implanted DBS lead to enable clinicians to see, shape and steer DBS therapy to where it’s needed most.

“This recognition reinforces our ongoing commitment to deliver best-in-class innovations that ultimately help those living with Parkinson’s,” said Milad Girgis, vice president, general manager, Brain Franchise for Neuromodulation. “The technology behind STIMVIEW XT allows clinicians to personalize therapy and better address the unique needs of their patients.”

The Edison Awards is an annual event honoring excellence in new product and service development, marketing, human-centered design and innovation. The awards symbolize the persistence and excellence personified by Thomas Edison and his Menlo Park team who successfully brought an unprecedented number of innovations to the market.

Learn about previous Edison Awards and more honors Boston Scientific has received for its innovation and leadership.

View original content here.

Social issues are perhaps the most difficult to research and least understood by investors with an environmental, social and governance (ESG) focus. But the risks and opportunities they represent are growing, and investors need a way to step up to the challenge.

From modern slavery to female representation in the workforce, companies are plagued by a growing list of social concerns. These issues account for a higher proportion of corporate controversies than environmental and governance issues (Display). Yet ESG-focused investors, who have become increasingly systematic and sophisticated in incorporating environmental and governance factors into investment decisions, don’t have similarly robust processes for addressing social factors.

Why Social Data Lags

Tighter regulation and quasi-government scrutiny of “E” and “G” issues have prompted dramatic data improvements in these areas. Now, official interest in social issues is increasing. This may help redress the information imbalance, in which the availability of data for social factors remains relatively low compared to “E” and “G” (Display).

The most commonly available social data concern workforce gender diversity, health and safety, product recalls, and human rights policies. But data quality remains sketchy. For example, the fact that a company has a human rights policy doesn’t mean it is a good policy or well implemented.

It’s also difficult to compare social metrics across companies and industries. Unlike carbon footprints and governance standards, which can be easily compared across companies or sectors, social issues differ across industries.

In the apparel industry, for example, key issues include forced or child labor, the proportion of employees covered by trade unions or bargaining agreements, grievance reporting mechanisms, and supplier codes of conduct.

In retail banking, predatory lending is a big social concern, along with access to services for customers from lower-income backgrounds, privacy and data security, and fines levied for regulatory breaches. Food and beverage companies should be judged on product quality and recalls, investment in safety and quality systems, and production time lost because of workplace injury or safety incidents.

These issues will gain more prominence because official scrutiny of “S” factors is increasing steadily.

Investors Face a Tsunami of “S”-Related Legislation

Our research shows that, between 2011 and 2022, key Western governments and quasi-governments took 23 significant actions—such as introducing legislation or guiding principles and holding parliamentary inquiries—to curb forced labor and human rights abuses. Most actions (17) took place in the second half of that period.

This slow-moving tsunami of legislation will force companies to carry out and report due diligence in their operations and supply chains. Government moves to ban products made with forced labor are already underway in the US and will soon be followed by the European Union.

Grassroots awareness of social issues is becoming more vocal. COVID-19 highlighted the inequality of vaccine distribution and the strain on healthcare, while supply chain disruptions caused by the pandemic and by the war in Ukraine have shed light on challenging conditions in some export-producing countries. Rising inflation and the cost-of-living crisis are increasing public awareness of social issues.

Investors, in our view, should take two steps to accommodate the growing importance of “S” factors in their portfolios.

Data Science and Qualitative Analysis Can Drive Insights

The first is to address issues of data quality and availability. Where data are available, their materiality for various industries should be mapped appropriately. Then, data science and qualitative analysis can help drive better insights.

For example, specialized third-party providers may have more in-depth knowledge of “S” factors than in-house securities analysts, but they typically cover fewer companies. Using data science, investors can access new data sources with the help of artificial intelligence.

Understanding the data is important to avoid drawing false conclusions. “S” controversies are more common in some industries, such as autos. But don’t assume that industries with less data have a correspondingly low level of controversies. Similarly, fundamental research can verify that a company’s human rights policy is effective and appropriately implemented.

Three Dimensions to Understanding “S” Issues

The second step is to develop a research framework that can identify key “S”-related risks and opportunities.

We have identified three broad themes to help investors make sense of the evolving “S” investment environment: a changing world, a just world and a healthy world (Display).

These themes cover multiple and far-reaching changes. From a changing world perspective, for example, they include understanding how human capital management can give firms a competitive advantage, the implications of an aging workforce and the risk that 30% of jobs could be lost to automation by 2030.

Thinking about the world in social justice terms can focus investors on growing evidence of a positive correlation between female corporate leadership and corporate performance. It can also alert them to industry-wide costs of import bans on products made with forced labor.

The global transition to a low-carbon economy puts pressure on governments to develop policies to help people adapt as old jobs are lost and new ones created; how well governments perform in this respect will have implications for sovereign-bond investors.

Health is also important for companies and investors. In fact, poor health is estimated to cost the world US$12 trillion a year—equivalent to about 15% of annual global GDP. 1

Avoiding a Rock and a Hard Place

Companies and investors are under increasing pressure from governments and the public to identify and take responsibility for social issues that arise in their business operations and investment portfolios.

Given the data issues, some investors may feel they are wedged between a rock and a hard place. That pressure can be eased, in our view, by capturing and collating the available data, wringing better insights from them with data science and qualitative analysis, and applying those insights through a comprehensive research framework.

Roxanne Low, ESG Associate from AB’s Responsible Investing team, contributed to this analysis.

1 Jaana Remes et al., “Prioritizing Health: A Prescription for Prosperity,” July 8, 2020, McKinsey.com

The views expressed herein do not constitute research, investment advice or trade recommendations and do not necessarily represent the views of all AB portfolio-management teams and are subject to revision over time.

Learn more about AB’s approach to responsibility here.

The Arbor Day Foundation has recognized Entergy as a 2023 Tree Line USA utility for its commitment to urban forestry in its communities.

The Tree Line USA program recognizes electric utilities for implementing best practices that protect and develop America’s urban tree canopy. The program is a partnership between the Arbor Day Foundation and the National Association of State Foresters, which promotes delivering safe and reliable electricity while maintaining healthy community forests.

“Trees and vegetation are part of our region’s natural environment and also one of the leading causes of power outages for utilities,” said Charles Long, interim senior vice president of power delivery. “Entergy has a robust vegetation management program that protects the power lines and ensures reliable electric service for our customers’ homes and businesses. At the same time, we’re helping sustain both our urban and rural landscapes, which improves quality of life for our customers and communities.”

Entergy achieved the Tree Line USA recognition by meeting five program standards: quality tree care, annual worker training, tree planting and public education, a tree-based energy conservation program, and a sponsorship of or participation in annual Arbor Day events.

“Trees are essential to creating more urban green spaces in communities across the United States,” said Dan Lambe, chief executive of the Arbor Day Foundation. “In addition, they provide important benefits to residents, including clean air, clean water, and vital tree shade. Service providers like Entergy demonstrate how easily trees and utilities can co-exist for the benefit of communities and residents.”

By joining the Tree Line USA program, energy service providers benefit from lowering line clearance costs due to proper pruning. As a result of those properly pruned and maintained trees, customers and communities benefit from increased reliability of service because those trees will have healthy root systems that decay less, have less structural weakness, and ultimately result in fewer downed lines during storms.

For more information about Entergy’s tree management practices, visit Entergy’s website.

VMware celebrated the 25th anniversary of its founding in February this year. Marking the occasion, our CEO, Raghu Raghuram, remarked, “Our 25-year history proves that we can execute anything we set our minds to.” This truth is borne out every day at VMware as we build on our DEI momentum and work towards ensuring inclusion and equity for more than 35,000 employees around the world. We’re proud of our advances in 2022, and our progress is illustrated in VMware’s 2023 Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Report. VMware remains committed to fostering an inclusive culture where all our employees thrive; and we’re honored to be recognized for that work by our inclusion on the Forbes Best Employers for Diversity 2023 list.

Our progress over this past year could not have happened without an inherent passion for people-first strategies and our commitment to innovation – qualities that have enabled us to consistently rank at the top of the JUST 100 list for fair and equitable business behavior.

I encourage you to read the report and learn about the growth we achieved in our DEI initiatives. Dive into the details to discover inventive new programs that were designed to achieve the bold outcomes outlined in our 2030 Agenda. Looking back, we see that these three mindsets guided our strategic approach and the initiatives you’ll read more about in the report.

All In

At VMware, we encourage everyone to drive DEI. Neither Human Resources nor the DEI COE team is solely responsible for achieving these results. It’s a companywide effort and responsibility because it directly contributes to the impact in our day-to-day work and to the community at large. This all-in approach is an integral part of our culture.

One way to ensure this approach is by requiring our people managers to take our Inclusive Leadership in Action (ILIA) course. Offered as an immersive course at VMware, ILIA increases awareness of DEI topics and builds an understanding of how behaviors impact our culture. It is an opportunity for learning, reflection, and discussion, to help all of us check our behavior and experiences, while keeping our values of respect and inclusion at the forefront. While the course is required for people managers, all VMware employees are encouraged to participate and become allies and champions.

Business Embedded 

Studies consistently show that a diverse and inclusive company benefits from more perspectives and increased employee engagement. These benefits lead to greater business innovation and profitability. As the report outlines, we have evolved to a robust DEI business-led process. We connect our strategy directly to results that support the business needs. For example, in 2022, all our general managers in the Product organization created DEI organizational plans and personal DEI plans aligned with our company’s DEI Goals.

We also provide coaching, enablement, and support for business leaders to develop strong business-led DEI initiatives that they are empowered to implement, champion, and promote, including:

Leader dashboards to drive business decisions through the DEI lensQuarterly forums for our senior leaders to review our DEI progress and spotlight leaders who are leading the wayForum and support for business-led DEI resources (“DEI Change Agents”)Data insights and coaching on Leader DEI Action Plans

Keeping the Momentum and Thinking Big

From the advancements we’ve made to measure progress on a broader group of underrepresented communities to our investments in external partnerships and conferences with a goal to expand and support underrepresented talent across the tech industry, we are keeping the momentum going. We also see this momentum in VMware’s joining the Valuable 500, a global business collection for CEOS and their companies innovating together for disability inclusion. This is despite the headwinds of economic challenges, volatility, uncertainty and complexity across the business and the industry as a whole.

But perhaps most importantly, as we keep the momentum going, we keep our aspirational goals in focus. For example, we remain strongly committed to increasing the representation of women globally across all roles, URMs in the U.S., director and above roles for women globally, and director and above positions for URMs in the U.S.

At VMware, we think big. Never satisfied with the status quo, our culture of possibility inspires innovation and moves us forward in our pursuit to accelerate the value we’re driving on key priorities even as we unlock the full potential of our VMware community.

I am proud of where we are today in our DEI journey. And while our work is not yet done, the momentum we’ve created leaves me feeling inspired and energized about where we will go from here.

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