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Originally published by Hydrogen Central on hydrogen-central.com

Hydrogen Central – Interview with Gerardo Familiar, Head of Chemours Hydrogen Economy Venture

Gerardo Familiar is responsible for developing the business strategy, executing the growth plan, and enhancing the organizational capabilities of Chemours’ Global Hydrogen Economy Venture. Prior to that, he was the Senior Director of Global Strategy, Marketing and Regulatory for the Thermal Specialized Solutions (TSS) at Chemours. Mr. Familiar holds a bachelor’s degree in industrial engineering from the Universidad Iberoamericana in Mexico, a Masters of Business Administration from the Instituto Tecnológico Autónomo de Mexico-ITAM, and an Executive Development Training from the Wharton School. He served as Executive Board Member of the National Chemical Industry Association (ANIQ), United Way Mexico, and the International Chamber of Commerce Mexico (ICC).

Can you explain how green hydrogen can support decarbonizing energy-intensive parts of the economy?

Generally, green hydrogen becomes essential to reach net-zero emissions, and it directly plays into achieving the ambitious goals of future-oriented policy programs such as the BuildBackBetter program and the EU Green Deal. Hydrogen’s reliability and energy density allow for diverse applications in countless industries, gradually phasing out the use of fossil fuels such as coal and gas.

This is a huge advantage particularly in energy-intensive sectors such as steel. Also, the basic materials industry is another good example, as it already uses a lot of grey hydrogen. Moving forward, however, it must obviously aim for a fast transition to green hydrogen. Here, it becomes crucial to minimize regulatory hurdles for technological solutions that help further expand the infrastructure for both hydrogen as well as renewable energies.

How do EU citizens benefit from the introduction of green hydrogen to the EU? 

Currently, economies and societies worldwide and particularly in the EU are hamstrung by high energy costs and inflation rates. Governments are trying to cut high-stake dependencies on fossil fuel imports, in particular natural gas, while also delivering against ambitious climate goals. Investors fear a recession.

And ultimately, citizens feel these economic pressures in their everyday life. While it is not the sole solution to get out of this situation, I do believe that hydrogen is an important part of the puzzle, and especially in the EU hydrogen will help to make societies and the economy future-proof.

The EU has already acknowledged this and with REPowerEU, has set the target to produce 25 million tons of green hydrogen by 2030. No doubt, this is ambitious, but I believe it is the best way forward. If the EU follows through with its ambitious hydrogen strategy and establishes an integrated infrastructure, it will reinforce its reputation as an innovation and industry hub, thereby attracting further talent, business and investments.

At the same time, increasing hydrogen production capacities and expanding the hydrogen infrastructure will help to reduce the EU’s dependencies on fossil fuels and safeguard a diversified, sustainable energy supply. Not least, it will help to implement economies of scale, which in turn will back European industries and production facilities. In short, the expansion of green hydrogen will boost the EU economy on many different levels, ultimately generating relief for EU citizens.

As a manufacturer of chemistries, why and how is Chemours’ relevant to the hydrogen industry?

Here at Chemours, we’re focused on the “why” around our solutions – how they can solve problems to create a cleaner and more connected world. Although perhaps not obvious at the first glance, our chemistry has a positive impact on almost every part of the world around us- not only in the hydrogen economy and infrastructure but also on 5G, lithium-ion batteries, automotive, electronics, construction, energy, semiconductor, paints, plastics, and communications.

Chemours’ chemistry and advanced materials are crucial for enabling a sustainable economy and helping to achieve the ambitious goals of the EU Green Deal, which also includes supporting the energy transition and allowing for a robust and sustainable hydrogen infrastructure. Our ion exchange membranes – marketed as Nafion™ membranes – are essential for a variety of hydrogen applications: They enable hydrogen use in fuel cells in the transportation industry and allow for efficient energy storage in flow batteries.

And most importantly, these membranes are used to produce green hydrogen safely and efficiently via PEM water electrolysis in large quantities, thus helping to decarbonize the hydrogen production industry. This is an essential step for the clean energy transition, which gains even more importance in view of the latest geopolitical developments and energy challenges.

Personally, it is very exciting to work so closely on solutions for one of the greatest challenges of mankind. And I am convinced: By unleashing the power of chemistry, companies, industries, and countries will be able to not only to meet their carbon reduction goals but also to advance sustainable innovations.

Due to the global energy crisis and political guard rails attention to alternative energy sources such as hydrogen has increased significantly. Do you also notice growing demand for your products?

Absolutely. Current developments have once again raised awareness globally of the need for a green energy transition: The accelerated climate ambitions and current energy challenges in the EU have fast-tracked attention and demand for clean energy solutions such as hydrogen power and fuel cell technology. After all, the attention is not just political talk; there are already significant movements in the economy to build up forward-looking applications for green hydrogen. As part of the hydrogen economy, we naturally feel and respond to this increased demand.

While demand for clean hydrogen technology is significantly growing, there are concerns about the scalability of hydrogen and whether the supply side can keep up. What is Chemours doing to accelerate hydrogen deployment? 

Truth is that upscaling the production is one of the biggest potential bottlenecks for ramping up the hydrogen market. This production increase in turn is also based on a massive expansion of renewable energy capacities. In my view, strategic investments along the whole value chain are key to preventing a long-term production slowdown. Chemours has already taken important steps to push the scalability of our operations: We recently announced a planned 200-million-dollar investment which will allow us to expand capacity and advance technology for our Nafion™ ion exchange materials.

In Europe, for example, we have agreed to enter a joint venture, which will create urgently needed production capacity for the further market ramp-up of fuel cells and humidifier membranes for the transportation industry. At the heart of this partnership will be Chemours’ innovative Nafion™ ion exchange materials and technologies, which will be integrated with complementary resources offered by both companies to accelerate speed to market. Completion of the transaction is currently subject to customary regulatory approvals. Partnerships as such will be key for accelerating hydrogen deployment in the mobility sector.

With these significant investments and partnerships, Chemours is well positioned to enable and benefit from further growth of the hydrogen economy.

In which applications of the hydrogen industry do you see the greatest potential for growth? What are you focusing on? 

Given the global energy crisis in Europe and the extraordinary increasing demand for sustainable energy solutions due to climate change, green hydrogen generation through PEM (polymer electrolyte membrane) water electrolyzers will play a crucial role in future. We already see a growing demand in the PEM technology sector.

Chemours is well positioned to benefit from this growth potential. Our Nafion™ membrane and dispersion products are at the heart of hydrogen generation in PEM water electrolyzers. We invented the ion exchange membrane more than 50 years ago and over the years, built expertise not only in producing the basic ingredients that are used to produce Nafion™ membranes but also along the whole value chain of manufacturing.

Another focus of our growth strategy is the mobility sector. The automotive industry is already changing fundamentally. The role of hydrogen as fuel, particularly in heavy duty transportation, will increase. Therefore, we continue investing in fuel cell applications in Europe, aiming at accelerating the speed to market of fuel cells with high performance membranes.

What do you see as the biggest challenges on the way to the needed upscaling of hydrogen production?

When talking about upscaling of hydrogen production it’s important to take the whole value chain into account: before an electrolyzer produces green hydrogen, there is a long way down the production road with an entire network of different players, critical raw materials and processes, which all have impact onto the production volume. Therefore, collaboration with all players within the value chain is key. This requires creativity and pragmatism from all involved to scale up the needed volumes, create innovative solutions and to master challenges that may arise.

Also, the prevailing circumstances affect any upscaling ambitions: Even though hydrogen production and applications already have strong policy support such as through the EU hydrogen strategy there are also regulatory challenges along the value chain that could slow down industries’ innovative capabilities. In addition to this, there is a need to expand renewable energy capacities.

In how far do regulatory aspects play a role in expansion of the hydrogen economy?

If you allow, I would like to give an example. Without ion exchange membranes, the emission-neutral production of hydrogen is not achievable in the near future. Essential components for the production of those membranes are fluoropolymers. These are specialized, high performance plastics with a unique combination of properties that no other material has. This makes them vital across a wide spectrum of industries, including clean energy. In many of the most critical applications, there are no viable alternatives.

Chemours supports industry-wide government regulation that is grounded in the best available science. However, there is a motion in the European Union by five member states that contemplates restricting all per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) as one group. This broad approach would include thousands of different substances that have very different physical and chemical properties, health, and environmental profiles, uses, and benefits – including the sub-category of fluoropolymers which are safe for their intended uses. Attempting to regulate a broad group of chemical compounds in a general manner would contradict the current approach of an effective, science-based assessment of this group of substances, especially taking into account their socio-economic values.

Such a broad restriction could affect hydrogen production dramatically, because: No fluoropolymers, no ion exchange membranes, no electrolyzers or fuel cells. This would also mean that the restriction could challenge the realization of ambitious policy programs such as the European Green Deal and REPowerEU.

I think this presentation of the crucial role of fluoropolymers makes it clear how important it is to take a holistic view of policymaking with regard to hydrogen, taking the whole value chain into consideration. Navigating through complex interdependencies like this will be one of the major challenges moving forward when upscaling hydrogen production.

The chemical sector as a whole is under constant pressure to justify itself. To what extent do you ensure the sustainability of your own production?

The world increasingly expects companies to provide essential products responsibly. At Chemours, we share those expectations, and we are committed to manufacturing our products responsibly. Our commitment to responsible manufacturing means we have proper emissions controls in place, utilizing the best available technology that mitigates environmental emissions.

In fact, our sustainability goals and Corporate Responsibility Commitments (CRC) are part of our DNA as a company. They are not only the right thing to do, but we see them as essential to our long-term growth and success as a company. Back in 2018, Chemours announced ambitious CRC goals that include an absolute 60% reduction in operational greenhouse gas emissions by 2030 on a journey to achieving net zero by 2050. Similarly, we have committed ourselves to reducing emissions of fluorinated organic compounds by at least 99% by 2030, and we have made meaningful progress, as noted in our recent report.

Chemours has and continues to implement and advance state-of-the-art technologies to reduce emissions of fluorinated organic compounds at our manufacturing sites as part of our commitment to responsible manufacturing. Chemours devotes millions of dollars a year to sustainable investments, including deploying emissions control technologies at manufacturing sites; pursuing energy efficiency; and integrating renewables in a broader, deeper way across all our locations.

What will it take in the future for the hydrogen economy to continue to grow?

The future growth of the global hydrogen market requires science and collaboration between people and organizations working together toward a shared purpose: Upscaling of hydrogen production and solutions to reach the world’s ambitious climate goals.

Strategic investments across the whole hydrogen value chain will be essential for future growth – from research and development all the way to end-use.

We actively build and strengthen stakeholder relations in the value chain. We collaborate with academia, equipment manufacturers, and project owners to gather insights and stay on the front edge of innovation. This is a big part of developing leading-edge solutions to solve the correct problems for the industry and our customers.

We also advocate for clean hydrogen and a policy landscape that enables this. The hydrogen economy relies on a conducive policy environment to enable the Green Deal and which ensures that all parts of the regulatory landscape are cohesive. Therefore, we engage with regulators and policymakers – we are an active member of Hydrogen Europe, the Hydrogen Council, and the Renewable Hydrogen Coalition, building a strong presence in Europe and supporting the regional energy transition along the goals of the EU Green Deal.

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Suppliers of Whole Foods Market are empowering microentrepreneurs, primarily women, with economic opportunity. These generous brands fund microloans for entrepreneurs living in poverty so they can start or expand a small business, often home-based. With a small loan of around $200, an entrepreneur can purchase essential needs for their small enterprises, such as products for a food stand, equipment for a sewing business, or tools for a small-scale farm.  Profits from their microbusinesses provide these entrepreneurs the opportunity to lift themselves and their families out of poverty, one loan at a time.

Celebrating the economic achievements of women in March

Every year, we celebrate the economic achievements of women microcredit clients in March during Women’s History Month. Supporting brands are invited to help further our mission by funding additional microloans. Brands that donate $25,000 in March to fund microcredit are recognized as members of Whole Planet Foundation’s Poverty Is Unnecessary Fund. This month’s generous donors include So Delicious, Lundberg Family Farms, MaryRuth’s, Schmidt’s and SheaMoisture.

So Delicious

Since 2015, So Delicious has been committed to funding opportunity through Whole Planet Foundation. As a repeat donor, their $50,000 commitment this year will help fund an additional 270 microloans for entrepreneurs living in poverty. With a small microloan, low-income entrepreneurs can start or develop a business, often home-based, to support themselves and their families. “So Delicious Dairy Free is on a mission to show what’s possible when everyone has an equal seat at the table. This means advocating for a more inclusive economy and creating economic opportunities for marginalized communities. We are proud to support Whole Planet Foundation and their mission to alleviate global poverty through microfinance”, says Virginia Kelly, VP of Marketing for So Delicious Dairy Free.

Learn how you can help support our mission at wholeplanetfoundation.org.

Rochester, N.Y. Mayor Malik D. Evans announced the receipt of a $100,000 grant from KeyBank to support the City’s Office of Financial Empowerment’s FEC (“Financial Empowerment Center”) program. The funding will allow the FEC to expand its efforts to promote homeownership for low-income families, support small businesses, and serve more individuals from the re-entry population.

“I am extremely grateful for KeyBank’s generous financial gift that will go a long way to helping more citizens learn how to establish good credit, pay down debt, utilize safe banking, and increase their savings,” said Mayor Evans. “The FEC program is an empowering asset for families and entrepreneurs that equalizes opportunities by providing the necessary financial tools to build a brighter future and improve quality of life.”

“KeyBank’s purpose is to help the communities we serve thrive. We are pleased to support the important work that the Rochester Financial Empowerment Center does to promote homeownership, support small businesses and promote economic inclusion,” said Phil Muscato, KeyBank Rochester Market President. “All of us at KeyBank are excited to partner with the City to drive investment in and bring opportunity to the greater Rochester community.”

The FEC provides free, professional one-on-one financial counseling services to help individuals and families with low-to-moderate incomes manage their finances, pay down debt, increase savings, establish and build credit and access safe and affordable mainstream banking products.

The program launched in February of 2020, and to date, has served more than 2,300 clients who have cumulatively increased their savings by over $1.6 million and reduced their non-mortgage debt by more than $2.2 million.

The FEC program is administered by Consumer Credit Counseling Services of Rochester. The program model integrates financial counseling into other social services, such as housing and foreclosure prevention, workforce development, or prisoner reentry. The FEC partners with a range of local agencies and community organizations including: Foodlink, Ibero American Action League, Inc., the Rochester Housing Authority, OACES, Monroe Community College, the Monroe County Department of Human Services, and among others.

FEC counselors are professionally trained and certified by the National Foundation for Credit Counseling (NFCC). To schedule an appointment, contact the Rochester Financial Empowerment Center by calling (585)-252-7110 or sending an email to RochesterFEC@cccsofrochester.org.

Learn more about KeyBank’s commitment to helping clients and communities thrive

Ceridian, a global leader in human capital management (HCM) technology, today published its 2023 Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) report, reaffirming its commitment to operating sustainably and maintaining the highest standards of corporate citizenship. The report highlights the organization’s performance on its ESG priorities over the past year, including steps to combat climate change, best support its employees and their families, and ensure responsible innovation. Advancements in 2022 across Ceridian’s five ESG pillars include:

Governance and Trust: Safeguarded customer data from material data breaches, developed and published a set of AI (Artificial Intelligence) Ethics Principles, and further strengthened internal compliance policies and controls.Our People: Extended a robust paid parental leave policy to all families globally, made meaningful progress towards achieving pay equity, and launched its Achieving Corporate Equity (ACE) program to empower diverse, high-potential talent.Tech for Good: Invested in core technologies for its customers and their people, including Ceridian’s on-demand pay solution, Dayforce Wallet. Cumulative funds loaded onto this product have exceeded $1 billion since launch, and new research shows significant financial and mental health benefits for many of its users.Our Communities: Employees in 16 countries on five continents participated in Ceridian’s first-ever Global Volunteer Week, and more than $5 million in grants have been donated from Ceridian Cares to families in need since its founding.Environment: Secured 100% renewable electricity across Ceridian’s global operations and decreased the company’s annual Scope 1 & 2 greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions by 97% over the past four years. Ceridian also published its inaugural Task Force on Climate-related Financial Disclosures (TCFD) Index.

“While growth, profitability, and value creation remain essential to success, our society rightly demands that businesses must also be a force for positive change,” said Leagh Turner, Co-CEO, Ceridian. “As this report shows, we have spent the past year working hard to meet this high bar by turning our ambition into action.”

Learn more about Ceridian’s ESG journey in its new report here.

About Ceridian
Ceridian. Makes Work Life Better™.

Ceridian HCM Holding Inc. (NYSE: CDAY; TSX: CDAY) is a global human capital management software company. Dayforce, our flagship cloud HCM platform, provides human resources, payroll, benefits, workforce management, and talent management functionality. Our platform is used to help optimize management of the entire employee lifecycle, including attracting, engaging, paying, deploying, and developing people. Ceridian has solutions for organizations of all sizes. Visit Ceridian.com or follow us @Ceridian.

Media Contact:
Leslie Whitelaw
Director, External Communications
(437) 224-6993

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Inspiring dialogue, authentic stories, and profound insights filled the International Women’s Day #EmbraceEquity Panel Discussion as more than 500 Kohler associates connected from around the world.

Hosted by our Kohler Women@Work business resource group and facilitated by Laura Kohler, the discussion explored the impact of equity, the value of creating equitable opportunities, and how we can all be intentional about inclusivity in the workplace and our communities.

CASE Construction Equipment, a brand of CNH Industrial, has launched a new CSR initiative, LEAD (Livelihood & Entrepreneurship Awareness Development), to encourage entrepreneurship among rural youth in India. The project highlights alternative avenues for income generation in the agriculture and infrastructure sectors through awareness and training programs. In the first year, the brand is aiming to impact over 30,000 young aspirants across more than 3000 villages.

The LEAD project will go door-to-door to raise awareness amongst young people about entrepreneurial ventures in local regions across India, under agriculture, rural industries (poultry, dairy, bee farming, and fisheries) and rural infrastructure (road construction initiatives and irrigation). The initiative focuses on interacting with the youth there to stem mass migration to urban areas in search of jobs and also encourage reverse migration.

Speaking about the project, Mr. Sunil Puri, Managing Director, CASE, India and SAARC, said, “As a socially responsible brand, we are delighted to introduce one more CSR initiative to promote entrepreneurship amongst the youth. We firmly believe that rural entrepreneurship is a crucial driver of inclusive economic growth in India. Through Project LEAD, we aim to provide the necessary tools and resources to local communities to contribute towards the country’s economic progress. The program will also help aspirational young people from rural India to become self-reliant.”

Against the backdrop of challenges such as unemployment and economic disparity in rural areas, CASE has committed to supporting the development of rural entrepreneurship in India. The brand is working alongside local stakeholders to help find innovative solutions to the unique problems faced by the communities.

NEW YORK, March 14, 2023 /3BL Media/ – JetBlue (Nasdaq: JBLU) and Shell Aviation today announced a new collaboration bringing additional supply of sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) to Los Angeles International Airport (LAX), targeting commencement of delivery in the first half of 2023. Within the terms of the agreement, JetBlue is expected to take delivery of 10,000,000 gallons of blended SAF at LAX over the next two years and an option to purchase up to 5,000,000 gallons more in the third year, either at LAX or other airports in JetBlue’s network.

SAF is a type of renewable fuel that exists today that drops directly into existing aircraft and infrastructure with no impact to safety or performance. SAF can be produced from a wide array of renewable sources such as agricultural wastes and used cooking oils and can lower lifecycle greenhouse gas emissions by roughly 80% in its neat form when compared to traditional petroleum-based fuels.

“We’ve long said we need multiple key stakeholders to step up to reach our aggressive emissions reduction goals. This deal with Shell is a key signal of the growing engagement of the major fuel producers to begin converting conventional jet fuel to SAF,” said Robin Hayes, chief executive officer, JetBlue. “Shell’s involvement, with their expertise in energy markets and logistics, is a validation of the SAF market’s potential and highlights how critical the SAF transition of our hard-to-decarbonize industry is to establishing a more sustainable future of flight.”

Shell has announced its ambition to have 10% of its aviation jet fuel sales as SAF by 2030. To meet this goal, Shell is building supply chain capabilities to blend, handle and distribute SAF and enable more customers access to SAF, helping to accelerate the pace of decarbonizing the aviation sector.

“It’s terrific to be supporting JetBlue once again in its decarbonization efforts. Like Shell, JetBlue understands that SAF will be the key technology to help decarbonize flight,” commented Jan Toschka, President of Shell Aviation. “LAX is a critical North American airport hub and we’re delighted to be able to provide JetBlue and corporations on its Sustainable Travel Partners program access to SAF, allowing them to lower their emissions while jointly contributing to investments in SAF.”

Supporting and growing SAF availability is critical to reaching larger airline industry goals and JetBlue’s own goal to reach net zero by 2040, 10 years earlier than industry targets. This along with JetBlue’s other existing sustainability commitments will apply to the airline’s planned integration of Spirit Airlines into its operation. JetBlue will continue to do its part to encourage a diverse and competitive SAF market and encourage the build-up of available supply and the economies of scale needed for SAF prices to compete with traditional fuel sources. 

“We envision a future of a robust, regular, and diversified supply of SAF delivered all around our network, incrementally replacing conventional fuels and driving down emissions in our operation. We’ve publicly committed to cutting our per-seat emissions in half by 2035, and a viable SAF market at scale is a key component to meet this goal,” said, Sara Bogdan, director sustainability and ESG, JetBlue. “Working with Shell will not only help grow the availability of SAF in the long-term, but also ensure this transition is sustainable from a business perspective, by building the connections and infrastructure to help keep the cost of SAF competitive with traditional fuel.”

JetBlue and Shell will also be working to offer corporate customers additional ways to simultaneously reduce emissions associated with their flying while helping ensure transparency and accountability. Through Avelia, one of the world’s first blockchain-powered digital SAF book-and-claim solutions for business travel, organizations will be able to directly address their corporate travel emissions with the purchase of JetBlue-issued SAF certificates. Developed by Shell and Accenture, with the support of the Energy Web Foundation (EWF), Avelia includes American Express Global Business Travel’s world-leading travel management services to aggregate global business demand for SAF, which will increase SAF supply and help accelerate the aviation industry’s pathway towards net zero emissions.

The additional SAF provided through Shell Aviation at LAX will increase the airline’s SAF supply at the airport, bringing SAF to approximately 15 percent of JetBlue’s total LAX jet fuel uptake. JetBlue also regularly flies on SAF out of San Francisco and in 2022 signed agreements with three additional SAF producers for future supply, continuing to look at future SAF partnerships with a particular interest in encouraging SAF in the Northeast.

While JetBlue’s successes with SAF in California are critical to the airline’s goal to convert 10% of its total fuel to be SAF by 2030, the airline acknowledges the vast majority of SAF being delivered today is to California airports as a result of the state’s low-carbon fuel program. To expand SAF usage to other airports, additional federal and state level programs to encourage the voluntary use of lower carbon fuels through incentives will also likely be key in changing the economics for the SAF producers and the airline purchasers. 

JetBlue’s Focus on the Environment
JetBlue depends on natural resources and a healthy environment to keep its business running smoothly. Not only do we all rely on those natural resources, but tourism also relies on having beautiful, natural and preserved destinations for customers to visit. The airline focuses on issues that have the potential to impact its business. Customers, crewmembers and community are key to JetBlue’s sustainability strategy. Demand from these groups for responsible service is one of the motivations behind changes that help reduce the airline’s carbon output and overall environmental impact. For more on JetBlue’s sustainability initiatives, visit www.jetblue.com/sustainability.

About JetBlue
JetBlue is New York’s Hometown Airline®, and a leading carrier in Boston, Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood, Los Angeles, Orlando and San Juan. JetBlue carries customers to more than 100 destinations throughout the United States, Latin America, Caribbean, Canada and United Kingdom. For more information and the best fares, visit jetblue.com.

JetBlue Corporate Communications
Tel: +1.718.709.3089
corpcomm@jetblue.com

March 14, 2023 /3BL Media/ – The World Environment Center is pleased to announce that its 39th Gold Medal for International Corporate Achievement in Sustainable Development will be awarded to Jacobs. The Gold Medal Award will be presented to Jacobs at an in-person ceremony at Washington, DC’s Planet Word on Wednesday, May 17, 2023.

The Gold Medal Award is presented annually to a global company that has integrated sustainability into its business practices, created ground-breaking solutions to critical environmental and social challenges, and demonstrated global leadership to accelerate progress toward a sustainable future. An independent Gold Medal Jury comprised of recognized sustainability experts selects the Gold Medalist through a global competition among nominated companies invited to apply for the Award.

The Gold Medal Jury selected Jacobs this year in recognition of Jacobs’ initiatives that integrate sustainability across their organization and client solutions. The Jury recognized Jacobs for its sustainable business strategy PlanBeyond 2.0 which integrates the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals across the entire organization that has led to the creation of corporate strategies, programs, and partnerships that deliver positive impact globally.

Gold Medal Jury Chair Linda Fisher, former Vice President & Chief Sustainability Officer of Dupont, said “on behalf of the Jury, I extend my sincere congratulations to Jacobs for its thoughtful approach to sustainability. Their commitments coupled with a global initiatives & partnerships have a far-reaching and positive sustainability impact around the world.”

In acknowledging receipt of the prestigious global sustainability award, Jacobs Office of Global Climate Response and ESG Senior Vice President Jan Walstrom said, “over the last several years Jacobs has been on a purposeful journey to integrate sustainable principles into the solutions we develop and deliver to respond to our clients’ greatest challenges, including those directly focused on addressing climate challenge. We know we have a pivotal role to play in addressing the climate emergency and channeling our technology-enabled expertise and capabilities toward benefiting people and the planet. We’re honored that our efforts have been recognized by the World Environment Center and are delighted to receive this prestigious Gold Medal Award.”

“We congratulate Jacobs and salute the company’s commitment to sustainable development,” said WEC President & CEO Glenn Prickett. “In these challenging times, we hope that recognizing Jacobs’s leadership with the Gold Medal Award will inspire other companies to aim higher in their commitments to sustainability.”

About the Gold Medal 
The World Environment Center’s Gold Medal for International Corporate Achievement in Sustainable Development was established in 1985 to recognize significant industry initiatives in global environmental excellence and sustainable development. Recent recipients of the WEC Gold Medal Award are AB InBev (2022), Microsoft (2021), the Ford Motor Company (2020), Trane Technologies (formerly Ingersoll Rand; 2019), Ecolab, (2018), HP Inc. (2017), Jacobs – formerly CH2M (2016), SC Johnson (2015), Unilever (2013), IBM (2012), Nestlé (2011), and Wal-Mart Stores (2010).

The Gold Medal Jury is independent of WEC and its programs, and is composed of international leaders from academia, government, non-governmental organizations, and retired industry professionals. 

About the World Environment Center 
The World Environment Center advances sustainable development through corporate business practices. Headquartered in Washington, D.C. with offices in Europe and Latin America, WEC creates business solutions through executive roundtables on key sustainability challenges, builds capacity of small enterprises in emerging markets, and honors industry excellence through its annual Gold Medal Award. WEC is an independent, non-profit, non-governmental organization. For more information, please visit www.wec.org.

IWBI’s Signature Interview Series: White House Advisor Natalie Kopp, a member of President Biden’s COVID-19 Response Team, discusses her work to ramp up government efforts to bring the benefits of clean indoor air to everyone

In the last year, the Biden Administration has done more than any other administration to elevate the role of healthy buildings, and indoor air quality in particular, as a powerful strategy to combat COVID-19 and fortify and enhance human health. As part of the Administration’s National COVID-19 Preparedness Plan, which was released last March, the Administration mapped out efforts to improve indoor air quality (IAQ), as both a way to prevent the spread of infectious diseases, like COVID-19, and to expand the many associated health benefits to everyone.

IAQ is a central pillar of healthy buildings, something reflected in the WELL Building Standard and how it advances a robust and holistic approach to advancing clean indoor air. It’s why so many of us across IWBI’s global community have been thrilled to see the White House making IAQ a focus.

Recently, I had the chance to sit down with Natalie Kopp, a key advisor on President Biden’s COVID-19 Response Team, to talk more about the Administration’s commitment to cleaner indoor air and its strategic approach to accelerate IAQ improvements across the country.

Q: Natalie, you’ve been a champion for doing more to address indoor air quality since arriving at the White House. Why is IAQ such an important area of focus for you?

Our job on the COVID-19 Response Team is to take a comprehensive approach to protecting people against COVID-19 infections and preventing serious illness. One of the things we know is that the virus spreads efficiently in poorly ventilated indoor spaces. This is not just a feature of COVID-19, but other respiratory diseases as well. So, as we think about both short and long-term control of all respiratory viruses, finding ways of improving indoor air quality is absolutely an important priority for the White House COVID-19 Response Team and the Office of Science and Technology Policy.

Here’s why: Most of us spend more than 90% of our time indoors and the air we breathe while we work and play impacts our health in very real ways. Indoor air can prevent the spread of airborne pathogens like the flu, RSV and measles, and alleviate some of the impacts of asthma and allergies. Clean indoor air is also associated with higher reading and math scores for students, fewer sick days for employees, and higher cognitive function. It’s all around a very effective way to support health and productivity. The challenge is that many of us do not work or live in buildings that have the clean air systems ready to deliver these benefits.

The pandemic opened the pathway for broader public and industry awareness and engagement, with an opportunity to help make the air in our buildings cleaner and safer from pathogens. While we still ask people to get vaccinated, get tested and seek treatments as highly effective measures, improving indoor air quality is something building owners and operators can do in their communities to create cleaner and healthier environments.

Q: Last fall, you helped lead the first-ever White House Summit on Indoor Air Quality, bringing in national leaders, experts and advocates from around the country. What were some of your key takeaways from that event?

The White House Summit on Indoor Air Quality was a unique moment, bringing together groups of people with shared goals who might not otherwise engage with one another. We hosted public health experts, ventilation experts, members of the Federal government, professional societies, members of the private sector, education leaders and other stakeholders to highlight the benefits of improved indoor air quality. It elevated the topic nationwide while fostering the kind of collaboration it will take to make real and sustainable progress.

Hosting such a summit at the White House communicates clearly that IAQ is an important Administration initiative. We learned from some of the leading experts in this field about strategies that work, those that don’t—and ways in which the Federal government can continue to encourage private industry, individuals, experts and others to work together to make indoor air cleaner and healthier for all Americans. I believe what Dr. Joe Allen said in his keynote remarks: “Healthy buildings represent one of the single greatest public health opportunities of our lifetime. The decisions we make today regarding our buildings will determine our collective health for generations.”

We also highlighted how the Federal government is making it easier for schools to improve indoor air quality and lifted up organizations that are already improving the indoor air quality in their buildings. Right now, while policies at the Federal, state and local levels are still being stood up, this type of leadership is essential because it demonstrates that these building changes are possible, can be affordable, and can lead to better outcomes.

Q: A year ago this month, the Administration released its National COVID-19 Preparedness Plan, which outlined steps where the federal government is taking action to address IAQ as a key COVID-19 mitigation strategy, and also included the launch of the Clean Air in Buildings Challenge. Can you tell us how these efforts have progressed over the last year?

The Administration has made a lot of progress over the last year. It all starts with raising awareness so that more people understand the high cost of poor indoor air quality and the benefits clean air can bring to our schools, places of worship, museums, entertainment venues, gyms, coffee shops and homes.

For those less familiar with the Challenge, the White House supported several agencies in launching the Clean Air in Buildings Challenge, which calls on building owners and operators to adopt strategies for improving air ventilation, filtration, and disinfection. The Challenge is a resource and pledge opportunity that lays out, in a very clear way, four categories of actions that can be taken to improve indoor air quality, including resources and toolkits from across government to help building operators and owners achieve their goals. This guidance was accompanied with hundreds of billions of dollars from the American Rescue Plan that could be used for improving indoor air quality and included technical assistance from across the Federal government.

Another important step has been to highlight the importance of creating pathogen-based IAQ standards with organizations both within and outside of the Federal government. What we have heard from communities around the country is that there is a need for guidelines that lay out what constitutes clean indoor air. If you take all of the steps in the Clean Air in Buildings Challenge, how do you know your efforts are working? Once there is a standard on indoor air quality in buildings, building owners and operators will have concrete objectives as they work to improve their indoor air quality.

We’ve also made tremendous progress on our own buildings. Since the launch of the National COVID-19 Preparedness Plan and the Clean Air in Buildings Challenge, the Biden-Harris Administration has mobilized departments and agencies across the Federal government to improve indoor air quality in a variety of concrete ways. For example, by establishing the Federal buildings portfolio as an exemplar of innovation, implementation, and standards for indoor air quality and providing guidance and funding for institutions and individuals to improve ventilation and filtration effectively and safely. The Office of Science and Technology Policy’s fact sheet lays out in great detail what the Federal government has publicly committed to doing on improving indoor air quality.

Q: Looking forward, how do you see IAQ playing a more prominent role in government programs? Are there any new efforts underway?

Awareness of the importance of this topic has increased dramatically over the course of the pandemic, so I absolutely see indoor air quality playing a more prominent role in government programs moving forward, from technical assistance to funding to public education efforts.

I say this because the pandemic was a catalyst for this interdisciplinary topic, not just in terms of public awareness, but also in research and innovation. I think we will begin to see more and more innovation, research, and funding—and even closer coordination across governmental agencies.

There is also the question of equity: People who are economically disadvantaged or who live in communities of color are more likely to be exposed to poor indoor air quality. We also know that clean indoor air offers an effective layer of protection from airborne disease for people at greater risk, including those who live with disabilities and essential workers who serve on the front lines of their communities. We need to make sure we create equitable access to clean indoor air for all Americans which will mean Federal, state, and local governments working together with these communities.

We are already seeing some states put IAQ legislation forward, paving the way for others to do the same. This is just the beginning in many ways, and it’s a great signal that our efforts are working and will have a lasting impact.

Creating indoor environments that foster good health instead of being full of health risks truly is the greatest public health opportunity we have in front of us and we all need to work together and do our part.

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As the world races to develop and scale solutions for myriad global sustainability challenges, a diversity of perspectives will be key. That’s one reason why, in 2015, the United Nations dubbed February 11 the “International Day of Women and Girls in Science.” Women make up less than 30% of the world’s researchers today. STEM fields must do more to welcome and encourage women-identifying students and workers — because lived experiences often yield the most targeted solutions.

Kim Hilton is one key voice working to close the gap. When she turns on her camera, she brings the magic of science to viewers around the world — including women and girls who are interested in pursuing careers in science. Known as Chemical Kim on her social media channels, the chemistry professor and influencer has more than 1.4 million TikTok followers and a talent for unpacking complex topics with hands-on education — like in this TikTok video on advanced recycling.

Jill Martin, Dow’s Global Sustainability Fellow, shares Kim’s passion for the advancement of women-identifying students and employees and appreciates her work to expand sustainability education in accessible ways.

“Circularity and sustainable plastics can be a complex space. Kim’s content shows how new technologies and innovators are addressing plastic waste and creating more sustainable and circular products,” Jill explained.

In celebration of this year’s 8th annual International Day of Women and Girls in Science, Jill recently spoke with Chemical Kim about her passion for supporting women-identifying, science-interested people in STEM.

Jill: How did you go from chemist to TikTok influencer?

Kim: My passion is making science education inclusive and accessible for everyone. For more than 25 years, I’ve shared science demonstrations and activities with kids at local schools, community groups, libraries, museums and even a local children’s hospital.

Fifteen years ago, I developed the “Chemical Kim Science Show” on local public access television, which led to a biweekly segment on a morning show. I turned to TikTok during the pandemic to keep bringing science lessons to kids and encouraging discovery and investigation in their own environments.

Jill: What advice do you have for your TikTok audience, especially those who identify as women or girls?

Kim: It’s important to find a role model. Women are a minority in science, and many scientists you learn about in school or online won’t be women. Reach out to other women in science that you admire and feel a connection to. Having women in science is a necessity as diverse minds and diverse thinking are important in the advancement of research and development.

For my TikTok audience at large considering careers in science, look to your curiosities. Most people in STEM, including myself, sought science as a career because we’ve been curious from a young age. It’s important to recognize that studying science won’t provide answers to your curious questions — but it will provide you with the tools to seek the answers.

The other very important piece of advice is to embrace this passion to learn science. The courses are challenging and require a lot of time and hard work, but the commitment will be worth gaining the knowledge and understanding of the world around you along with having a career you will enjoy and that you worked so hard to achieve.

Jill: What has your personal experience been like as a female influencer in the STEM space? Any examples?

Kim: I’ve had parents, kids and young adults tell me how much I am a role model. One of my favorite exchanges involved a mom and her 10-year-old daughter approaching me at a large amusement park. The daughter was extremely excited to meet me and shared that she watches all my videos and loves performing my science activities.

A few weeks later, I received an email from this same mom, sharing a picture of her daughter dressed up as Marie Curie for Halloween. The mom explained that after discovering Chemical Kim, her daughter has become obsessed with learning science.

I also receive comments and messages from young women in high school or college sharing that they are going into science because I’ve shown how fun learning science can be.

Jill: How do you see sustainability playing a role in STEM and in engaging women and girls in science?

Kim: I predict today’s role of sustainability in STEM and engaging women and girls in science will be like the role environmental studies has had since the early 1990s, when I was an undergraduate attending Michigan Technological University, a science and engineering-focused college.

At that time, degrees in environmental science or environmental engineering were scarce and mostly a focus of study in biochemistry or civil engineering degrees. But over the past 30 years, some of the greatest increases in undergraduate and graduate STEM degrees have been in environmental science and engineering.

The impact at Michigan Tech alone brought the construction of the Dow Environmental Science and Engineering Building. And although engineering is a historically male-dominated space, environmental engineering is seeing this gender imbalance flipped at some colleges across the country with women equal to or greater than men in enrollment. Now, sustainability is at the forefront of environmental science and engineering degrees, research and careers. I am excited about the future progress of environmental science with diverse voices and ideas involved, particularly those from women and minority groups who have been previously left out of the conversation.

Jill: Why and when did you start talking about plastics on your TikTok channel?

Kim: My first viral plastic video, posted in 2021, featured a simple how-to on making samples of starch-based plastics — and it got more than 2 million views! The idea for this video came from my followers’ interest in bio-based plastics made from renewable biomass sources, like vegetable fats and oils, corn starch, straw, woodchips, sawdust and recycled food waste. Since many of my viewers don’t have a strong background in science, I jumped at the opportunity to connect chemistry to their everyday lives through that first video.

Jill: Who has been most responsive to your videos about plastic?

Kim: I was pleasantly surprised to discover that my videos about plastic are popular outside of the U.S., especially in places like the Philippines and Indonesia. In both countries, viewers have shared comments about how they reduce plastic waste in their everyday lives. In contrast, people post comments that are skeptical about recycling and sustainable plastics, which creates an opportunity for healthy dialogue. My goal is to highlight how science is key to tackling issues like climate change and the immense potential it has to make an impact.

“During our partnership, I’ve been both surprised and excited to learn about Dow’s investment in both advanced and mechanical recycling and its efforts toward creating a zero-waste economy.”

Jill: What did you know about Dow before our partnership? What were you surprised to learn during the partnership about our company?

Kim: I completed my chemistry undergraduate and graduate work in Michigan schools and lived near Dow’s headquarters for several years, so I have always been interested in its work. During our partnership, I’ve been both surprised and excited to learn about Dow’s investment in both advanced and mechanical recycling and its efforts toward creating a zero-waste economy. I feel great pride in this partnership and the ability to share on my platform that one of the largest plastic manufacturing companies in the world is taking a bold step toward fixing our plastic waste problem.

Jill: How do you hope your content will contribute to conversations around plastics?

Kim: I’m hopeful that my followers and others will feel more motivated to reduce, reuse and recycle plastics after understanding the science behind how they are made and repurposed. I strive to help consumers look at plastic waste as a resource. Thanks to Dow and advanced recycling, we are teaching people that plastic’s value goes far beyond its first use.