Tag: 3BL

As fleet managers stare down the energy transition, the various factors at play can seem overwhelming. Over the next several decades, they’ll need to balance upfront costs associated with transitioning to alternative fuel vehicles, chronic lack of clean energy transportation infrastructure, range anxiety, new maintenance and repair protocols and more.

To complicate matters further, they’ll need to structure their new solutions and protocols carefully, ensuring they support the success of fleets that abate each pillar of the energy trilemma.

What is the energy trilemma?

The energy trilemma refers to the challenge of balancing the interdependent needs of energy security, environmental sustainability, and affordability. These three priorities often conflict with one another, making it difficult to strike the appropriate combination. For example, securing energy supply in the current market may require fossil fuels, which puts environmental sustainability goals at risk.

It is important to consider each pillar in isolation as well as in tandem with the others to build equity and longevity into our changing energy models. As the U.S. continues to pursue the clean energy transition, policy, market structures, infrastructure development, and capital investment must all be made with the balance of the energy trilemma in mind.

How does the energy trilemma affect fleets?

Because the transportation sector consumes significant energy and contributes nearly a third of all U.S. greenhouse gas emissions, fleet operators are pressured to adopt sustainable fueling practices. Whether swapping for sustainable fuels or transitioning to electric vehicles, each fleet’s unique energy transition will require careful consideration of the trilemma’s pillars.

A small fleet relying primarily on diesel, for example, may lack the upfront capital investment capacity to adopt electric vehicles at this time. To make progress toward sustainability while keeping operations affordable, this fleet might be best suited to renewable diesel, which offers up to 85% lower lifecycle emissions than traditional diesel ICE vehicles. But renewable diesel is rarely offered at gas stations, so this fleet may choose to work with a mobile fueler like Booster® to secure a reliable supply of the renewable fuel.

Similar multi-pronged solutions scenarios abound within the transportation sector as fleets find new and creative ways to adapt to the changing market.

How can you balance the energy trilemma with your fleet fueling?

Put simply: the major way fleets meet with the energy trilemma is in fueling and fuel burning. In response, fleets can improve energy efficiency while keeping costs low and maintaining a secure fuel supply by switching to sustainable alternative fuels, using fuel-efficient or zero-emission vehicles, optimizing fuel economy, monitoring and analyzing data, and adopting mobile fuel delivery.

Mobile fuel delivery, in particular, helps fleets balance the complex needs of the energy transition by cushioning a customer-centric service model within a flexible, clean, efficient delivery structure to support fleet sustainability while enhancing overall fleet productivity.

1. Energy Affordability

Despite widespread desire to make fleets cleaner and greener, the vast majority of fleet managers are constrained first and foremost by budgets. Unfortunately, many new energy sources for fleets are capital-intensive, requiring infrastructure investment or vehicle upgrades, and this is an affordability barrier for many.

Mobile fueling helps by providing cost-effective and convenient fueling solutions to a range of fleet types. By eliminating the need for fleets to travel to and from fixed fueling infrastructure, mobile fueling reduces fueling costs and unproductive labor time. In fact, mobile fueling by Booster offers higher productivity and lower emissions while saving fleets an average of $1600 annually per vehicle.

2. Environmental Sustainability

Mobile fueling helps fleets reduce their environmental impact by enabling the adoption of sustainable fuels. By providing on-site fueling for low- and zero-emissions fuel vehicles, mobile fueling supports the transition to a more sustainable transportation system by enabling easy adoption of clean technologies.

The mobile fuel delivery model also lowers emissions and improves air quality by reducing vehicle miles traveled to fueling stations or infrastructure, which minimizes the fuel burn and associated emissions and environmental impact of fleet operations. Booster’s mobile fuel delivery service reduces fleet emissions by 525 lbs of GHG emissions per vehicle annually, on average.

3. Energy Security

When it comes to adoption of sustainable fleet technologies, access to energy sources and fueling infrastructure presents a major barrier. But security of supply is a crucial element to a successful fleet transition.

Mobile fuel delivery enhances energy security by providing on-site fueling for fleets, reducing the risk of fuel shortages or disruptions. By eliminating a fleet’s reliance on fueling stations or infrastructure, mobile fueling can improve the resiliency and reliability of fleet operations, especially in remote or infrastructure-sparse areas.

Mobile fueling also secures energy supply by enabling access to alternative fuels that may be more secure and resilient than traditional fossil fuels. For example, fleets can use mobile fueling to adopt renewable fuels like renewable diesel, which can be produced domestically from abundant waste feedstocks. Similarly, fleets can use mobile fueling to adopt electric or hydrogen fuel cell vehicles, which can be powered by domestically sourced electricity or hydrogen.

Mobile Fueling for Balanced Fleets

The key to balancing the energy trilemma for fleet fueling lies in resiliency, reliability, and re-imagination of our current fueling systems. Mobile fueling offers the ability to shepherd adoption of sustainable fueling technologies with a reliable, affordable solution. By working with mobile fueling providers, fleets can develop customized fueling plans that meet their specific needs and priorities across their energy transitions while contributing to a more sustainable and secure energy future.

Development. Connection. Education. Engagement. Recruitment. Mentoring. Inclusion.

These are just a few of the many benefits inherent in Aramark’s growing network of Employee Resource Groups (ERGs), which give voice to the diverse members of the company’s workforce, create a more inclusive workplace, and help shape company culture. Aramark was recognized in 2022 as being one of the Top 10 Companies for ERGs by DiversityInc.

“The DEI team greatly appreciates all of the LEAD members who contributed to an amazing Black History Month celebration. Our ERGs help us develop and engage people across the company, but they do so much more than that,” said Fenimore Fisher, Vice President, Aramark Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI). “ERGs help us align workplace practices globally, invest in strategic partnerships, and strengthen our ties to clients, local businesses, and people in the communities where we live and work.”

As one ERG focused on the development and advancement of its members, LEAD (Leaders and Employees of African Descent) comprises team members who self-identify as Black, African American, West Indian, or of African descent, as well as allies.

To commemorate Black History Month this year, LEAD team members organized, led, and participated in a series of programs and events designed to cultivate Black leaders at Aramark, support community projects, and foster a spirit of belonging.

2023 LEAD Summit and Awards

About 100 Aramark employees and guests participated in the third annual LEAD Summit held February 22-24 at Temple University in Philadelphia. The summit theme this year was “LEADing the Way: Fostering Dynamic Leaders That Are Connected, Protected, and Respected.”

Educational sessions at the summit included a panel discussion of what it is like to be a Black leader in corporate America post-pandemic and breakout sessions about building voice and confidence in work culture, professional financial acumen, and the importance of health and well-being.

John Graham, Jr., Vice President of Employer Brand, Culture and Diversity at Shaker Recruitment Marketing, and author of the book Plantation Theory: The Black Professional’s Struggle Between Freedom and Security, gave the keynote address.

The first day ended with an awards dinner during which the following Aramark LEAD ERG members were recognized:

Indiana ERG HUB, HUB of the Year Award, for actively working to recruit new members, hold events, and connect with the community;Kamilah White and Arianne Phillips, Committee Chairs of the Year Award, for exemplifying strong leadership within a LEAD committee and always willing to go above and beyond;Joel Hernandez, Ally Award, for being involved or showing leadership in other ERGs while embodying the true meaning of being an exemplary ally; andMichelle Smith, Dynamic LEADer Award, for being an “up and coming” leader demonstrating outstanding leadership skills and excellence while demonstrating the vision and mission of LEAD.

A vendor expo was also held during the summit at which multiple minority-owned businesses shared information about their products and services and interacted with the Aramark participants and other invited partners.

Aramark HBCU Emerging Leaders

Earlier in February, Aramark announced a partnership with the Thurgood Marshall College Fund (TMCF) to launch the Aramark HBCU Emerging Leaders Program.

Through the program, 15 students enrolled in qualifying majors from Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) were selected to participate in an immersive experience at the Aramark headquarters in Philadelphia in late February to learn more about Aramark’s organization and culture. Travel, lodging, and meal expenses were covered.

Emerging Leaders participated in simulated work activities to help them better understand Aramark and job functions related to their majors, networked with executives, and learned about internship and employment opportunities post-graduation. They were also invited to participate in the LEAD ERG Summit.

“This program was named Emerging Leaders because we look to these students as the future of our industry and Aramark,” said Jack Donovan, CEO and President of Aramark Collegiate Hospitality. “This partnership demonstrates our commitment to HBCU institutions and the students that they serve. We can’t wait to see how our program participants leverage their potential, and we hope that this experience supports their pathways to success.”

Other Black History Month Events

LEAD members organized and led several educational and community events during the month.

Employees took part in a virtual book discussion concentrated on The Light We Carry by Michelle Obama on February 2 and in an online culinary discussion and exploration February 16. 

On February 9, LEAD organized a virtual tour of Ghana’s Cape Coast Castle, one of about 40 slave castles built by Europeans on the Gold Coast of West Africa.

Starting on Martin Luther King, Jr., Day January 16, LEAD teamed up with the Aramark Young Professionals (AYP) ERG and Aramark Community Relations to host a month-long book drive.

The books all meaningfully address DEI, meet school reading criteria, and align with Dr. King’s vision and passion. ​​​​​​

More than 600 books were donated and will be delivered to school students in Chicago, Dallas, Denver, and Philadelphia.

Applied employees across the United States and Canada once again gave generously during our 2022 Fight Against Hunger campaign. This annual tradition is a meaningful (and fun!) expression of Applied Purpose — connecting what matters to our employees and the community with who we are and what we stand for as a company. Employee donations, along with a match from the Applied Materials Foundation, totaled nearly $3.3 million provided to 54 food banks throughout North America.

Impacted by the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, inflation, and job and housing uncertainty, our neighbors need support more than ever. In fact, 1 out of 7 people across the U.S. rely on food banks to put nutritious food on their table.

“Thank you to all Applied employees — long-timers and newcomers — who joined me in this year’s Fight Against Hunger. I have participated in this incredible effort since my early days at Applied, and I am proud to have led the charge this year,” said Tim Deane, Group Vice President of Applied Global Services and the campaign’s Executive Champion. “It’s good fun for a great cause!”

Employees — as they have done for decades — brought creativity, energy and a competitive spirit to the fundraising effort. Favorite events included workout classes, bingo nights, a cricket tournament, cooking competitions, and of course, the traditional Hoopla basketball shooting competition.

To address food insecurity in Applied communities around the world, Singaporean employees volunteered to prepare and deliver meals for the Willing Hearts organization while employees in Taiwan packed food at the People’s Food Bank. In India, Greece and Korea, employees raised funds for local charities that are combatting hunger and helping to feed those in need.

Activities in China included food packaging workshops, a farm tour and an online quiz to raise hunger awareness among employees. Applied Japan collected food for distribution to hungry families. Earlier in the year, Israel colleagues participated in their annual Passover Fight Against Hunger program donating funds and fresh fruit and vegetable parcels to economically disadvantaged families and Ukrainian refugees in the country.

Thank you to the volunteer leaders, event planners and donors who made all the campaigns and activities possible!

Get inspired by visiting Applied’s corporate responsibility webpage and follow us on Twitter @Applied4Good to see how we’re engaging in other community efforts around the globe.

It’s Black History Month! Today we begin the month-long celebration of the past, present, and future change agents and accomplishments Black Americans contribute, every day. It is with great pride that we honor the progress we have made as a people and as a country and commit to continue the work that still lies ahead.

It is important to acknowledge the leaders who relentlessly focused their efforts, and often sacrificed their lives, to engage in the hard work of advocacy and progress throughout our nation’s tumultuous history.

It is also important to celebrate the contributions of our own dedicated Leidos employees who are committed to not only making our company a great place to work but are also applying their expertise in countless fields to shape the future of our business, industry, and the world.

Next week, we will join in recognizing twenty Leidos employees as Modern-Day Technology Leader award winners, and one noted as the Most Promising Engineer in Industry, at the Black Engineer of the Year (BEYA) 37th Annual National Convention. These innovators in STEM are making major technological advances impacting our healthcare systems, enhancing national security, innovating air travel, and ultimately improving our way of life.

Black history in America has deep, embedded foundations of resistance, resilience, redemption, and restoration. The struggles and the setbacks that preceded the successes serve a great purpose, not just for Black Americans but for all Americans. The lessons we all learned throughout the journey has cultivated a resolve beyond our positions, gifts past our experience, and strength that surpasses training. This resolve is the fuel that keeps us moving forward, embracing every obstacle as an opportunity to make lasting change that benefits us all.

This is the legacy. This is the celebration. This is Black history. This is our American history.

I encourage everyone to find ways to celebrate and acknowledge the many contributions of Black Americans—those we know, those we read about, and the legends in the making, not just this month but all year long.

Inclusion is all of us. Everyone. Every day.

“You have to have a bias for action in the world if you want to do your part to make it a better place.” – Jake Wood

Jake Wood’s “bias for action” is indisputable: After graduating from college, he joined the Marine Corps and served two years overseas. His return to civilian life wasn’t easy. Like many veterans, Jake was faced with a loss in structure, purpose, and sense of impact. After a close friend and fellow veteran committed suicide, Jake founded non-profit Team Rubicon with a dual purpose: (1) to serve global communities before, during, and after disasters and crises and (2) to reintegrate veterans into civilian life through opportunities to utilize military training for communities in need.

Ten years later, Jake welcomed his second daughter, who required surgery shortly after she was born. The experience sparked a new idea to empower more people to have a greater impact and sense of purpose. In 2021, Jake co-founded Groundswell, a corporate philanthropy platform that allows you to “give like Gates, be taxed like Warren Buffet, and be recognized like Rockefeller.”

We invited Jake to lead us through his purpose journey, from creating social entrepreneurship ventures to the impact your company can make through them.

Listen for insights on:

What to expect from venture investorsHow companies can support and enable employees in their philanthropic givingHow employee-driven corporate donations drive better business outcomesAdvice for pursuing greater impact through social entrepreneurism

To listen to this episode and others, visit Purpose 360 Podcast.

Lenovo unveiled its latest commitment to fighting climate change by pledging to reach net-zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2050, validated by Science Based Targets initiative (SBTi).

As a global tech leader, it is important that we leave a positive impact on our planet for the next generation. What we do today, determines what comes next. That is why Lenovo is determined to provide smarter technology that builds a brighter, more sustainable future for our customers, colleagues, communities and the planet.

Recently, I had the pleasure of chatting with the Founder of Pur Plant and one of our Lenovo Innovators, Quentin Brouhon, about his passion for environmental sustainability. Read on to learn what net-zero means to him and how others can make a difference to reduce their carbon footprint.

What does net-zero mean to you?

To me, the solution to net-zero is under our feet. The way we currently grow most of our food is harming our planet’s ecosystem through topsoil and biodiversity loss, desertification, habitat destruction, pollution and greenhouse gas emissions. According to the United Nations, about a third of all human-caused greenhouse gas emissions is linked to food. We need to adopt regenerative practices like not tilling the soil, planting trees, covering crops, planned grazing or installing wind turbines and solar panels as an energy source. More carbon in the ground is good for our planet. We also must call on companies to implement sustainable solutions and make pledges towards a net-zero future.

Lenovo, as an example, is one of just a few hundred global companies that has committed to not just to achieving net-zero, but also to use its global platform to make a positive social and environmental impact. Providing communities and companies with educational information on the simplicity of making a difference is crucial to saving our planet and achieving net-zero.

Based on your work, how has climate change impacted our ecosystems?

I have noticed climate change affect my region of Spain primarily during the summer and winter. Over the past few years, we’ve experienced warmer winters, which directly impacts our orchards and plants, and there is a noticeable lack of water during the summer. This is something that really worries me, especially as it relates to the future of my work. The drought ruins productivity, as well as vegetable and fruit harvests. The result of these weather changes have led to increased product prices, which negatively impact local producers and consumers.

What practices can anyone adopt to lessen their environmental impact?

Whether you live in an urban area or the countryside, composting waste is a practice that anyone can do. Composting is a complex biological process that uses microbes, and occasionally worms, to break down everyday food waste. This creates an incredible organic fertilizer for your urban micro-jungle or extensive gardens. You don’t need a big space to make a huge difference – you can compost easily at home. Another easy practice to adopt is reducing the use of plastic. This can be as simple as bringing your own shopping bags to the store or packing things in reusable containers versus one-time-use plastics.

When you envision a more sustainable future, what does that look like?

I imagine a future in which we take care of nature and, in return, nature takes care of us. A society where we are surrounded by plants, and communities are growing the organic foods they consume. Furthermore, I envision a future where we are using the most innovative, sustainable technology. Sustainable technology is not just designed to be reused, but also serves as the foundation for transformative thinking, ideating and educating. A place where we connect through our devices and prioritize technology that creates a brighter tomorrow.

What role do you think companies can and should play when it comes to sustainability?

Without a doubt, companies have a responsibility to use green energy, reduce the use of plastics and decrease carbon footprints. Going digital and cutting back on unnecessary paper use is crucial to achieving these goals. Additionally, companies need to understand the importance of using local suppliers. By prioritizing the use of local suppliers, companies can have a large impact on local ecosystems and reduce their carbon footprint through reduced travel. Additionally, setting specific, measurable commitments, such as Lenovo’s net-zero targets, demonstrates that companies are serious about making an impact.

Follow Quentin’s #LenovoInnovators journey and learn more about his mission to save our planet on Instagram @quentin_brouhon

NEW YORK, February 28, 2023 /3BL Media/ – JetBlue (NASDAQ: JBLU) today announces a partnership with climate tech company CHOOOSE as part of its ongoing focus on sustainability and advancing the use of Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF). By visiting https://jetblue.chooose.today, JetBlue customers will now be able to join JetBlue in championing SAF adoption through a dedicated climate platform powered by CHOOOSE. The platform enables customers to estimate the CO2 emissions of their flights and then address these emissions by contributing to a fund dedicated to covering the cost premium of SAF as compared to conventional jet fuel.

JetBlue views SAF as the most promising avenue for addressing aviation emissions in a meaningful and rapid way – once cost-effective SAF is made available commercially at scale. Produced from a wide array of renewable sources such as agricultural wastes and used cooking oils—not fossil fuels— SAF is a type of renewable fuel that exists today and drops directly into existing aircraft and infrastructure with no impact to safety or performance. SAF can lower lifecycle greenhouse gas emissions by roughly 80% compared to traditional petroleum-based fuels while reducing particle and sulfur pollution.

In 2022, roughly 0.3% of JetBlue’s fuel consumed was SAF. Supporting and growing SAF availability is critical to increasing this volume and reaching the aviation industry’s emissions reduction goals. By contributing toward the purchase of additional SAF through CHOOOSE, JetBlue customers and can now send a critical signal of consumer demand for more sustainable air travel options and help grow the emerging SAF market.

“The call from our customers for more sustainable air travel has only gotten louder and louder. We are proud of our industry-leading commitments and actions but recognize reaching our aggressive goals will require the partnership and support of multiple stakeholders,” said Sara Bogdan, director of sustainability and environmental social governance, JetBlue. “With this new platform, customers are now able to measurably reduce the environmental impact of air travel, as well as join their voices with JetBlue and our growing list of partners as we work and advocate for a more sustainable future of aviation.”

While proven effective, additional support for SAF is still needed to grow the market and encourage the economies of scale necessary to make SAF more widely available and cost competitive with traditional fuel sources. JetBlue continues to do its part, securing immediate as well as future supplies of SAF on its path to convert 10% of the airline’s total fuel to be SAF by 2030. JetBlue has been flying regularly using SAF from its California airports in San Francisco and Los Angeles, partnering with both currently available SAF suppliers in the U.S., Neste and World Energy. To further encourage a vibrant and competitive market, in 2022 alone, JetBlue signed agreements with three additional SAF producers for future supply: Aemetis, AIR COMPANY, and Fidelis New Energy.

Today’s announced partnership with CHOOOSE builds upon the airline’s previously announced JetBlue Sustainable Travel Partners program for JetBlue Corporate Travel customers. JSTP enables organizations to directly and meaningfully reduce their reported carbon footprint through the purchase of JetBlue issued SAF certificates and address their “Scope 3” indirect emissions that exist within the value chain, such as those produced through corporate travel. Since launching the program in 2022, a growing list of sustainability-focused organizations have taken advantage of JetBlue issued SAF certificates to help source over 1.6 million gallons of SAF combined.

Together with CHOOOSE, individual customers will now be able to join JetBlue and these leading sustainability-minded organizations in their call for greater availability of lower carbon solutions within the aviation industry. All customer contributions through https://jetblue.chooose.today/ are used to help cover the difference in cost between SAF and conventional jet fuel — allowing the airline to ‘upgrade’ more conventional jet fuel to SAF and sending a powerful signal that demand for SAF exists.

“CHOOOSE is thrilled to support JetBlue’s efforts to reduce its carbon emissions by making it easy and accessible for JetBlue customers to take action on the emissions associated with their flights and to join JetBlue in its efforts to transition to SAF. Airlines, governments, NGOs and travelers alike must come together to scale the production and use of SAF and other low-emission alternatives,” said Andreas Slettvoll, CEO at CHOOOSE. “This is how we change the emissions at their root cause, by giving passengers the opportunity to opt for alternatives to fossil fuel. We are excited to be a part of JetBlue’s journey to becoming a more sustainable business. Together we will make SAF much more accessible to travelers across the world”

Advancing the Future of Flight

JetBlue continues to focus on the future of sustainable aviation through partnerships and advocacy. As a launch member of the Aviation Climate Taskforce, the airline, along with its subsidiary JetBlue Ventures (JBV), nine other airlines and the Boston Consulting Group launched the non-profit organization to accelerate breakthroughs in emerging technologies to decarbonize aviation.

JetBlue Ventures also continues to invest in and partner with early-stage startups improving travel and hospitality, including those in the sustainable travel space. JBV has invested in seven direct and three adjacent sustainability companies to date. The team explores advanced methods of measuring and reducing emissions, technologies that improve environmental protections and encourage sustainable tourism, and game-changing transportation powered by alternative propulsion systems like electric or hydrogen powered commercial aircraft. Most recently, JBV announced an investment in Rubicon Carbon, a next generation carbon solutions provider also backed by TPG Rise Climate.

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.

About CHOOOSE

CHOOOSE™ provides the leading Software-as-a-Service (SaaS) platform empowering businesses to integrate climate action into customer experiences. Enterprise partners in sectors like aviation, travel and logistics deploy CHOOOSE to build, manage and report on customer-centric climate programs that embed climate action wherever they interact with their consumer or corporate customers. Headquartered in Oslo, Norway, CHOOOSE has enterprise partners and employees around the world. Learn more at www.chooose.today.

Media Contact 

JetBlue Corporate Communications
corpcomm@jetblue.com

Originally published on Illumina News Center

Every year on the last day of February, Rare Disease Day is celebrated worldwide in a collective effort to raise awareness and funding for the 300 million people living with a rare disease. First recognized in 2008 by EURORDIS, a nonprofit alliance for over 1000 patient organizations, Rare Disease Day includes events in more than 110 countries.

“Rare Disease Day is an important reminder of the common humanity that underlies these disorders,” says Ryan Taft, Illumina’s vice president of Scientific Research. “In our lifetimes it is almost certain that we, or someone we know, will be affected by these often-devastating diseases. At Illumina, we have a moral imperative to get these patients the diagnoses they need and deserve.”

Each year, Illumina selects four rare disease organizations to support and spotlight their work.

Association pour la Recherche Génétique des Anomalies du Développement, better known as ARGAD, is a nonprofit association established in 2010 in Bourgogne, France. The association supports clinical and biological research in the area of genetics of developmental disorders, and assists in education and raising awareness for health care professionals and the public, all with the mission of improving the care and support of rare disease patients in France. To mark Rare Disease Day 2023, ARGAD has been conducting workshops in which children with a rare disease collaborate with professional artists to tell the story of their diagnosis and their experience living with it. This ambitious project will culminate in the creation of a 200-page collectible book of the artwork and an exhibition and discussion panel at the Ground Effect gallery in Paris on February 28.

Founded in 1999 by two patient parents, the Taiwan Foundation for Rare Disorders (TFRD) enhances patients’ quality of life while also advocating for medical rights. Remarkably, TFRD’s efforts prompted the Rare Disease Prevention and Orphan Drug Act—making Taiwan one of the first governments to pass legislation related to rare disease. In addition to promoting research, fostering patient groups, and influencing policy, the organization also provides direct services to 18,000 families, helping with at-home care visits, psychological support, family education, rehab, and more. TFRD has an extraordinary commitment to improving access to diagnostic technologies and it subsidizes genetic testing and newborn screening for low-income families.

Life changed dramatically for Texan singer-songwriter Casey McPherson and his family when, after pursuing whole-exome sequencing to find an explanation for his daughter Rose’s symptoms, she was diagnosed with the rare genetic disease HNRNPH2. To the fans of his music, Casey might seem an unlikely scientist, yet his passion to save his daughter has meant pushing boundaries to model a different future for people living with rare disease and their families: He started the To Cure a Rose Foundation to save his daughter and scale a better model for rare drug development, and he cofounded Everlum Bio, a personalized medicine company and proof-of-concept drug discovery lab to serve family foundations.

Finally, the Tanzania Human Genetics Organization (THGO) is a nonprofit organization whose main goal is to coordinate human genetics research and activities in Tanzania to generate knowledge and recommendations for diagnosis, prevention, and treatment of genetic disease. THGO envisions a health community that is able to use genetic information and services to save lives and promote healthy outcomes in Tanzania. They work passionately to partner with and support the broader advocacy of disease-specific patient organizations throughout the country (including Ali Kimara Rare Disease Foundation and Lupus Warriors Tanzania) and have formed a coalition-partnership with the Southern Africa Youth Forum to advise and promote the adoption of a common policy on health care and social services for people living with rare diseases in the countries of the Southern Africa Development Community.

Illumina also remains committed to supporting the rare genetic disease population through initiatives that provide direct access to clinical whole-genome sequencing. For 10 years, the Illumina iHope program has facilitated pro bono genome testing for more than 1700 children with suspected rare genetic disease across 24 clinical sites in eight countries. Approximately 40% have received a diagnosis and up to 78% received a change in their care management.

Based on the success of this program, Illumina recently announced an expansion of iHope to China at the Illumina NGS Summit. In partnership with the Special Fund for Diagnosis and Treatment of Genetic Diseases—under the March of Dimes Birth Defects Foundation of China—and supported by the Illumina Foundation and Give2Asia, iHope China will provide genetic testing to more than 2000 patients with rare disease over a three-year period. The initiative will also provide training to more than 100 clinicians at 20 Chinese hospitals.

Illumina has committed to dramatically expanding access to genome testing outside China through a partnership with Genetic Alliance to develop iHope Genetic Health—a program supported by a $120 million in-kind donation of sequencers, reagents, and software to enable dozens of laboratories to provide genome testing in low- and middle-income communities around the world. This effort will support up to 50,000 patients a year in five years, and will work with local communities to support genetic education, local capacity building, and patient-authorized data use.

Learn more about how Illumina is expanding access to genomics, click here.

Mental health

How can we improve mental health in the workplace? The new Framework for Workplace Mental Health and Well-Being from U.S. Surgeon General outlines Five Essentials that companies can use to create a healthy workplace culture.

Gender equality

A few days ago, the European Parliament adopted a new EU law that requires publicly-traded companies to ensure better gender balance on corporate boards. A minimum of 40% of non-executive director positions, or 33% of all director positions, need to be filled by women by the end of June 2026. Read more here.

Women in leadership

The “Reykjavík Index for Leadership” from Kantar Public was first launched in 2018 and measures society’s perceptions of men’s and women’s suitability to lead. According to new data, trust in women leaders has significantly declined in the past year.

Inclusion & tech

Ahead of the International Day of People with Disabilities on December 3rd, Apple released “The Greatest”, a new campaign about accessibility. Worth watching!

Why? Because the person behind the badge mattered.

Across the United States, police officers have taken up post to support the families and communities of fallen officers who have been killed while making the “ultimate sacrifice.”

The Brotherhood for the Fallen was formed in 2010 in response to a growing rate of reported police officers being killed while in the line of duty. The non-profit organization started in Chicago and has expanded to nine chapters across the United States.

“The idea is for us to have a presence and attend every funeral of a fallen police officer in the U.S.,” says Patrick Munroe, President at Brotherhood for the Fallen Boston. “We provide support to the community to show how important the person was behind the badge.”

The chapter also provides one-time financial support to families to help them meet their immediate needs following the death of their loved one. As membership to the Boston chapter has grown, so has the support—Brotherhood donations to the families, which began as $250 payments in 2018, have risen to $1,250 this year.

Every November, the Brotherhood hosts an annual event to recognize the lives of those officers lost, re-energize the community around its mission, and raise funds to continue helping families who lose their loved ones while in the line of duty.

In 2022, Enbridge made a $1,500 Fueling Futures donation to Brotherhood for the Fallen Boston as part of our commitment to the communities near our operations. The donation follows a $5,000 Enbridge grant given in 2021, whose funds were directed toward the fall fundraiser event and hosting families of fallen officers.

While the primary activities of the Brotherhood chapters are to send two members on the road to attend funerals for fallen officers, often the support shown to families evolves into relationships that last much longer.

“Initially, we attend these funerals to show families that they are not alone in their grieving, but it can quickly feel like an extended family,” says Munroe. “Us being there is a small gesture that means a lot to them—we know what they are going through.”

Munroe himself has lost friends in the line of duty, leading him to co-establish the Boston, MA chapter of the Brotherhood in 2017. The chapter started with four members and now boasts over 1,000 supporters, including those from surrounding towns and cities.

The fundraising event of nearly 500 attendees marked the fifth event in the Boston chapter’s history, with families getting to gather once again to connect with people who understand what they have been through.

“It’s amazing to be able to host these families and make sure they feel like the most important guests there,” says Munroe. “To see them smiling and genuinely having a good time means we are accomplishing what we set out to do.”