Tag: 3BL

Denise Vaughn, vice president of ESG at Ferguson Enterprises, and Christopher Lindsay, vice president of government relations for the International Association of Plumbing & Mechanical Officials, join Workiva’s Mandi McReynolds. They explore the business and societal risks associated with water, how their organizations are coming together to address the water crisis in the United States, and the importance of pilots, process, and partnership for driving ESG strategy.

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Originally published on principal.com

DES MOINES, Iowa, March 22, 2023 /3BL Media/– A new survey from Principal Financial Group® identifies the leading disruptors to the retirement industry that employers and financial professionals believe will reshape plans, services, and solutions by 2030.

An aging workforce, Generation Z, the growing demand for personalized investment advice, and financial wellness are top of mind for more than 250 plan sponsors and 200 financial professionals that responded to the Principal® Future of Retirement Survey. Each are viewed as priorities in the next 5-7 years to help address the widening retirement gap that is approaching $4 trillion in the U.S.1

“Understanding the evolving needs of participants and employers is critical to building relevant and meaningful retirement plans, solutions, and advice,” said Chris Littlefield, president of Retirement and Income Solutions at Principal®. “We are relentlessly focused on what our customers need to help meet their financial and retirement goals. Whether it’s more customized products, holistic guidance, or mobile-friendly, digital tools and resources, we will continue to leverage our relationships with financial professionals and strategic partners to help innovate and enhance the customer experience.”

Competing generational needs

Employers are often choosing retirement plans to help meet the needs of five generations of Americans. More of Gen Z will enter the labor market in the next 5-7 years while the number of people aged 75 and older in the workforce is expected to grow 96.6 percent by 20302. To support an aging workforce, three out of four plan sponsors and financial professionals agree participants should have the ability to make recurring withdrawals from their employer-sponsored retirement savings as they take a phased approach to retirement.

“Choosing to retire is no longer a single-step life decision. Many individuals approaching 60-65 years of age need or prefer a phased retirement, working part-time to get relief from the 40-hour work week without fear of outliving their nest eggs,” Littlefield said.

On the opposite end of the workforce spectrum, 76% of plan sponsors agreed the expectations of millennial and Gen Z investors will be the driving change in retirement markets by 2030. In particular, the preference Gen Z has to conduct most financial business online is viewed by both financial professionals (55%) and plan sponsors (47%) as the top disruptor from this generation.

Personalization is paramount

According to the Principal® Future of Retirement Survey, one growing expectation to better serve participants is an ability to provide individualized advice. More than 70% of both plan sponsors and financial professionals agreed personalized investment portfolios and managed account services will be common offerings within defined contribution plans by 2030.

To offer more holistic and personal guidance, 78% of plan sponsors and 77% of financial professionals also agreed there will be a shift from improving the enrollment process for employees to improving the retirement process, which can include services such as advice, retirement planning, and creating retirement income.

Financial wellness programs are also expected to emerge as an additional plan resource to further personalize the participant experience by 2030, with 85% of plan sponsors and 90% of financial professionals agreeing plan sponsors will increase the adoption of them.

Outside of retirement savings programs, plan sponsors believe the top five financial wellness benefits that should be offered include helping participants establish a budget and financial plan, retirement income planning, credit card and debt counseling, healthcare planning for early retirees, and investment education.

For more insights into the Principal® Future of Retirement Survey, please visit www.principal.com.

About the Principal® Future of Retirement Survey

The Future of Retirement survey was an online survey conducted by Principal from October 25, 2022, to November 14, 2022, focused specifically on the views plans sponsors and financial professionals have on the future of the retirement industry. Respondents included 255 plan sponsors and 201 financial professionals.

Principal conducts periodic “pulse” surveys with customers and financial professionals to gain insight into timely topics. The survey findings reported here explore consumer concerns and possible actions surrounding saving and planning for retirement as well as financial behaviors related to market volatility and current events.

About Principal Financial Group®

Principal Financial Group® (Nasdaq: PFG) is a global financial company with 19,000 employees3 passionate about improving the wealth and well-being of people and businesses. In business for more than 140 years, we’re helping more than 62 million customers4 plan, protect, invest, and retire, while working to support the communities where we do business, and build a diverse, inclusive workforce. Principal®is proud to be recognized as one of America’s 100 Most Sustainable Companies5, a member of the Bloomberg Gender Equality Index, and a “Best Place to Work in Money Management6.” Learn more about Principal and our commitment to building a better future at principal.com.

Insurance products issued by Principal National Life Insurance Co (except in NY) and Principal Life Insurance Company®. Plan administrative services offered by Principal Life. Principal Funds, Inc. is distributed by Principal Funds Distributor, Inc. Securities offered through Principal Securities, Inc., member SIPC and/or independent broker/-dealers. Principal Global Investors leads global asset management. Referenced companies are members of the Principal Financial Group®, Des Moines, Iowa 50392.

© 2023 Principal Financial Services, Inc. Principal®, Principal Financial Group®, and Principal and the logomark design are registered trademarks of Principal Financial Services, Inc., a Principal Financial Group company, in the United States and are trademarks and services marks of Principal Financial Services, Inc., in various countries around the world.

1 Jack VanDerhei, Ph.D., “Impact of Five Legislative Proposals and Industry Innovations on Retirement Income Adequacy,” ebri.org, January 20, 2022
2https://www.bls.gov/opub/ted/2021/number-of-people-75-and-older-in-the-labor-force-is-expected-to-grow-96-5-percent-by-2030.htm
3 As of December 31, 2022
4 As of December 31, 2022
5 Barron’s, 2022
6 Pensions & Investments, 2022

Media Contact:
Phillip Nicolino, 515-362-0239, nicolino.phillip@principal.com

Source: Principal Financial Group

Originally published on 3M News Center

At 3M, patents represent more than ownership of an idea or design. They demonstrate 3M’s ability to continually innovate, find new solutions and encourage creative collaboration.  

“It’s very important for the company to keep inventing and reinventing,” said Audrey Sherman, division scientist and holder of 156 patents at 3M.  

Audrey began her career at 3M as an intern while still in high school and got her first patent after being at the company for five years. At that time, she asked her boss how many patents she should aim to earn per year. He told her that a good pace was one patent per year. “All I could think of was, I am so far behind because I’ve been here for five years,” she said. Audrey was determined to catch up. And she did – averaging nearly five patents per year over the next 26 years. 

In 2017, Audrey became the first women at 3M to reach the 100-patent mark. 

In 2019, when she had 130 patents to her name, Audrey’s accomplishments were recognized in a final clue on the game show Jeopardy.

Starting in her late teens, Elizabeth Arroyo Gomez worked at a McDonald’s that is now owned by Michael Ojeda and the Oviedo Corporation. Working her way up from cashier to shift manager, she enjoyed interacting with customers and learning every aspect of the business. In time, she started taking college classes and found herself on the path to the health care industry — and with the financial support she needed. Thanks to McDonald’s Archways to Opportunity program, which paid for her associate degree, Gomez graduated debt-free from Triton College in Illinois in May of 2020, after completing the Surgical Technology program.

Working While in the Archways to Opportunity Program

At the time of her graduation, the pandemic was surging, and people everywhere were urged to stay home and avoid gatherings. Gomez and her classmates didn’t have a commencement ceremony. In fact, she couldn’t even take the Certified Surgical Technologist exam that she needed in order to get a job in health care. So, she was grateful that she could continue to work at McDonald’s. For years, McDonald’s owner/operator, Michael Ojeda, allowed her the flexibility she needed to complete her education and continued to do so even as she prepared to move on to her next chapter.

In September of 2020, Gomez was able to take the Certified Surgical Technologist exam, and, in November, she was hired by Swedish Hospital, in Chicago. Today, more than two years later, Gomez loves her job and all the new experiences it offers. She especially loves the role she gets to play in helping patients. “You’re right in front, helping the surgeon,” she says. “Patients come in and they’re in pain, but they’re going to get better. Their daily routines are going to get back to normal, and it makes me feel good, because I’m making a difference.”

For Elizabeth, every day on the job offers new experiences and challenges. As a surgical technologist, she’s on the front line of surgeries, assisting the health care team with surgical equipment. Some days, she might take part in cataract surgery; other days, it could be a hip replacement. No matter what procedure is happening, her mind frequently goes back to the training that led her here: a decade of working at McDonald’s.

When Gomez thinks back to her days at McDonald’s, she feels grateful for all that she learned—about the job, and about who she wanted to be. “I’m so grateful for the amazing opportunity to apply for Archways and have a flexible schedule,” she says.

Because of Archways, she knew that owner/operator, Michael Ojeda, believed in her and her potential. That empowered her to follow her own path, pursue her education and now, through her career in health care, help others.

“In my job, you have to work as a team,” she says. “But instead of serving customers, we’re helping patients. You have to give them the best treatment, the same as you’d give a customer at McDonald’s.”

View original content here.

This UN World Water Day, we’re celebrating our achievements in reducing water use at our production sites, as well as our successful water stewardship at local sources around the world.

As a family-owned company, we believe in doing the right thing by the planet, and that includes protecting water and water sources for future generations. That’s why, in the last 10 years, we have cut our water usage by 50% and made significant investment in infrastructure to treat water for re-use.

Here’s a snapshot of just some of the water initiatives we are celebrating this World Water Day:

At BACARDÍ®, the water used to prepare barrels for aging our beautiful rum under the Caribbean sun, is 100% reused in productionWe have installed water pumps to give back to the Ghanaian village where we source our Grains of Paradise botanical for BOMBAY SAPPHIRE® ginWe installed a Fish Pass at our ROYAL BRACKLA® Scotch whisky distillery which helps protect the local river biodiversityAt PATRÓN®, we reuse water for production and irrigation – saving 10,000 cubic meters in the first yearWe join forces with the industry in Mexico on a multi-year water replenishment program called ‘Charco Bendito’, which currently has the potential to replenish 90% of our product water in Mexico

Find out more about our sustainability commitments and our vision to become the most environmentally responsible global spirits company at https://www.bacardilimited.com/esg/.

JERSEY CITY and NEW YORK, March 21, 2023 /3BL Media/ – Jersey City Mayor Steven M. Fulop and the International WELL Building Institute (IWBI), the world’s leading organization advancing healthy buildings and healthy organizations, announced today that Jersey City has become the first city in New Jersey, and second in the country, to earn the WELL Health-Safety Rating for Facility Operations and Management across a portfolio of six municipal buildings, including its most visited buildings such as City Hall, Building of Public Works, Office of Emergency Management and Municipal Courts. The achievement signals Jersey City’s strong commitment to promoting a safer and healthier environment for its employees, residents, and all those who visit.

“Quite simply, this represents a critical health investment in our people, our city, and our future,” said Mayor Fulop. “We all spend about 90% of our lives inside buildings, so it’s important we take action to ensure our municipal buildings are helping safeguard our health and supporting our well-being. Earning this WELL rating is the latest important step towards our broader efforts in making Jersey City the healthiest and safest city possible, and our work today will positively impact our residents for decades to come.”

In order for Jersey City to achieve the WELL Health-Safety Rating, IWBI, through third-party experts, has verified that the policies and protocols for all of these buildings met the rating’s requirements for supporting the long-term health and safety needs of all those inside. This includes holistic aspects of health from improved airflow, hygienic hand washing practices, reduction in hand contact of high-touch surfaces, effective cleaning protocols, robust emergency preparedness and response, advanced stakeholders’ engagement, and more.

“We extend our congratulations to Jersey City, the first city in the state and second in the nation to achieve the WELL Health-Safety Rating across a portfolio of municipal buildings,” said Jason Hartke, Executive Vice President of Advocacy and Policy at IWBI. “Our public buildings have a special obligation to be out in front when it comes to health leadership and deploying evidence-based interventions that support our physical and mental health. Thanks to Mayor Fulop, Jersey City is doing just that. By leading by example, we know Jersey City will inspire other cities and states across the country, and grow the movement for people-first places.”

Since the early days of the pandemic, mayors have shown strong leadership to support the role of healthy buildings. In 2020, the U.S. Conference of Mayors (USCM) passed a healthy building policy resolution focused on prioritizing indoor health and taking action to deploy a ‘people-first’ approach to city buildings, encouraging cities to help combat the COVID-19 pandemic by advancing integrated healthy building solutions, such as the WELL Health-Safety Rating. The following year, another USCM resolution passed focused on ramping up healthy building efforts to help strengthen and fortify cities in the face of COVID-19 or future public health threats. Last year, Miami became the first city in the nation to achieve the WELL Health-Safety Rating across a large part of its municipal building portfolio.

“This is city leadership at its finest. We congratulate Jersey City for its pioneering leadership by using WELL to deliver on the promise of healthier buildings,” said Paul Scialla, Founder of IWBI. “I know other cities are watching closely. They’ll want to emulate what Mayor Fulop is doing — supporting the health and safety of workers and residents in Jersey City, while also helping fortify the city in the face of potential future health threats.”

The WELL Health-Safety Rating is an evidence-based, third-party verified rating for all new and existing building and space types, advancing human health and well-being through science-backed policies and procedures. From Yankee Stadium and the Empire State Building to JPMorgan Chase & Co. global retail locations to the entire portfolios of companies like T-Mobile and Planet Fitness, facilities around the world are prioritizing the health and safety of their staff, visitors, and stakeholders with the help of the WELL Health-Safety Rating. Today, WELL offerings, including the WELL Health-Safety Rating, are being used across 4.6 billion square feet of space, by 25% of the Fortune 500 and in 125 counties.

About the International WELL Building Institute
The International WELL Building Institute (IWBI) is a public benefit corporation and the world’s leading organization focused on deploying people-first places to advance a global culture of health. IWBI mobilizes its community through the administration of the WELL Building Standard (WELL) and WELL ratings and certifications, management of the WELL AP credential, the pursuit of applicable research, the development of educational resources and advocacy for policies that promote health and well-being everywhere. More information on WELL can be found here.

International WELL Building Institute, IWBI, the WELL Building Standard, WELL v2, WELL Certified, WELL AP, WELL Portfolio, WELL Score, The WELL Conference, We Are WELL, the WELL Community Standard, WELL Health-Safety Rating, WELL Health-Safety Rated, WELL Equity, WELL Performance Rated, WELL Performance Rating, Works with WELL, WELL and others, and their related logos are trademarks or certification marks of International WELL Building Institute pbc in the United States and other countries.

Media Contact:
Kimberly Scalcione at KScalcione@jcnj.org
media@wellcertified.com

View original content here.

CNH Industrial brand CASE Construction Equipment is developing one of the industry’s most diverse and comprehensive mini excavator lineups. This includes the launch of two all-new electrified mini excavators. 

Introducing the advanced machines

CASE is launching the CX15EV and the CX25EV. Both feature a lithium-ion battery, charged either by the 110V/220V on-board charger, or via an external rapid charger that can have the machine charged extremely fast, typically within 90 minutes. Depending on the type of work, the CASE CX15 EV and CX25 EV will provide enough power to work through a full eight-hour day. All while delivering the core benefits of electrified construction equipment: no emissions, reduced noise, and less lifetime maintenance thanks to the elimination of the diesel engine.

“Mini excavators are ideal for electrification because they go through varied work cycles throughout the day,” said Brad Mace, Product manager, CASE Construction Equipment. “Between access to power and the fast charging capabilities of the machine with both on-board and external technologies, these machines deliver excellent runtimes and are sure to be ready to take on any task.”

CASE is proving that both mini excavators and electrified machines can still deliver the same premium operator-first experience as larger equipment. That operator experience starts with a standard color LCD monitor that delivers easy access to battery information, machine settings and work modes. It also features customizable hydraulic proportional controls and auxiliary hydraulics to let the operator dial that machine in to their preferences.

Each machine features three work modes that match electric motor speed to the task — Power, Standard and Economy — as well as the ability to adjust the sensitivity of the controls to really let the operator control the feel and performance of the machine. A load-sensing hydraulic system further delivers smooth and powerful performance.

“Our focus is on delivering a complete operator experience, even in some of the smallest machines we manufacture — and that attention to detail and operator satisfaction is built into each one of these battery powered units,” said Mace. “Another area where we’ve showcased this is in the ability of these electrical units as attachment platforms.”

CASE is also focusing on connectivity with these new electrified mini excavators, making SiteWatch telematics standard on each machine for optimal visibility into machine performance, and greater collaborative fleet management with the local CASE dealer. And each model can be outfitted with precision construction technologies to further improve productivity and digging quality.

“These are full-featured, fully electric powerhouses built for work in all environments and operations, and operators will recognize that quality when they sit at the controls and dig in,” said Mace.

March 21, 2023 /3BL Media/ – Neo Performance Materials (NPM) that owns Estonia-based rear earth metals maker Silmet will construct a magnet factory and R&D center in Narva, writes Estonian National Broadcasting ERR. Inogen Alliance Associate DGE’s Estonian partner Hendrikson is set to provide climate proofing services, which also makes this Estonia’s very first climate proofing project. As a global Alliance we are proud to share unique project examples in some of our Associate locations.

The plant will produce magnets made of rare earth metals and recycled magnets. Rare earth metal magnets are a key component in renewable energy technologies, electric vehicles, data carriers, households electronics, medical equipment and robotics.

“There are several really exciting aspects to this project,” says Director of the DGE Estonian companies, Heikki Kalle. “This will be the first rare earth metals magnet manufacturing facility outside of China and Japan, and the first in the western world. With shorter supply chains, this will be helping to reduce CO2 emissions. It is also the very first climate proofing project in Estonia.”

As to what their role was exactly, the project lead Mart Dungay explains further: “Our work looks at identifying risk and developing appropriate (and tailor made) mitigation solutions for each area: climate risk to the company (storms, floods, business continuity and interruptions) and climate risk from the company to the environment (GHG emissions, other emissions). For the REE facility, we focused on reducing their use of raw REE deposits by increasing use of recycled raw materials (old magnets), changes to landscaping and stormwater drainage structures, use of solar panels, and conducting ex ante GHG emission calculations over the lifespan of the project.”

“Because the entire world will have to switch to a carbon neutral economy, demand for such magnets is forecast to grow significantly. The EU does not have a sustainable magnets supply chain to support greater demand, nor is it possible to reuse magnets at this time. Neo Performance Materials will create unique capacity in Europe to bolster supply chains and our economy,” Minister of Entrepreneurship and IT Kristjan Järvan said.

NPM also owns Silmet, which is the only commercially operated industrial scope rear earth metals facility in Europe. NPM President Constantine Karayannopoulos said that the Narva plant will be the first rear earth metals magnets factory to become a core part of electric vehicles and wind turbines supply chains in the EU and North America.

Climate proofing and sustainability are an important pillar of services DGE and our global Associates have to offer. We would love to help our clients join this journey, check out our Sustainability services for more information.

Originally published on our Associate DGE’s website.

Inogen Alliance is a global network made up of dozens of independent local businesses and over 5,000 consultants around the world who can help make your project a success. Our Associates collaborate closely to serve multinational corporations, government agencies, and nonprofit organizations, and we share knowledge and industry experience to provide the highest quality service to our clients. If you want to learn more about how you can work with Inogen Alliance, you can explore our Associates or Contact Us. Watch for more News & Blog updates here and follow us on LinkedIn.

March 21, 2023 /3BL Media/ – The Consumer Goods Forum (CGF) is pleased to announce Emily Kunen, Senior Director, Sustainable Agriculture, PepsiCo, and Anna Turrell, Group Sustainability Director, Tesco, were elected the new respective Manufacturer and Retailer Co-Chairs of the Forest Positive Coalition of Action in February 2023.

The Coalition is thrilled for these business leaders with extensive experience in the sustainability and responsible sourcing fields to assume these new roles in the Coalition, which embarks on its fourth year of collective action to remove deforestation, forest degradation, and conversion from key commodity supply chains, while delivering positive outcomes for climate, people, and nature in forest communities worldwide.

Commenting on their election, Emily and Anna said, “The Coalition is currently at a pivotal moment. Having built the critical foundations for our collective work in the last three years, the Coalition is now embarking on its next phase of work, focusing on accelerating impact and action. We are looking forward to working with this group of 22 companies to deliver on our commodity roadmaps, scale our support for landscape initiatives, and support industry transformation to positively impact climate, nature, and people.”

As our new Co-Chairs, Emily and Anna recently led the Coalition’s annual in-person Steering Committee meetings, held in Paris last week, which brought together the Coalition’s 22 member companies for strategic and technical dialogues.

Emily and Anna take on the Co-Chair roles previously held by Christine Montenegro McGrath, SVP and Chief Impact and Sustainability Officer, Mondelēz International, and Bertrand Swiderski, Sustainability Director, Carrefour. 

The Coalition welcomes Emily and Anna’s leadership, thanks them for their long-standing support, and looks forward to continued collaboration moving forward. 

For more information about the Forest Positive Coalition, visit its website here.

At Henkel, we are united by our purpose: Pioneers at heart for the good of generations. We believe that we have a responsibility to create a better world for future generations and this belief is a core component of our commitment to diversity, equity and inclusion.

To help create a more equitable and inclusive society, it is important to look to the past to better understand our present and be inspired by the work that still needs to be done. For a second year, we invited Henkel employees and their family members to participate in a contest to bring the words of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.’s “I Have a Dream” speech to life through their own essays and artwork. They shared hopes for the future and how we can help shape a more inclusive world.

Taking the time to reflect and learn more about pioneers like Dr. King can help provide different perspectives and new levels of understanding. As one employee wrote with their submission: “I am not really entering to win a contest. I’ve already won by doing this.”

Watch the video to see what else those who participated in this year’s contest had to say.