Tag: 3BL

A collaborative pilot creates an ecosystem of support advancing health equity in underserved communities.

For one Atlanta mother, Erika, there was no celebration when she discovered she was pregnant.

She had no family support. No one to call with questions. She navigated it alone while working and managing medical appointments she couldn’t always afford — or get to.

“I was battling really, really, really, really hard,” said Erika. “I didn’t have anywhere to turn.”

Her experience isn’t unique. Across the United States:

• More than 80% of pregnancy-related deaths are preventable
• Nearly 1 in 5 pregnant women experience mood and anxiety disorders during pregnancy, which can increase the risk of preterm birth by up to 50%

But the crisis isn’t just medical. It’s a breakdown in how we think about care itself.

Health care operates in silos. A doctor treats medical symptoms. A social worker might offer referrals. Things like transportation, food security, housing stability and mental health support, while essential to individual health and wellbeing, aren’t typically included. Yet these needs shape whether someone can access and follow through on care in the first place. When they aren’t addressed, the burden falls on individuals, leaving them to navigate a maze of fragmented services alone while facing the very barriers those services are meant to solve.

“Some people just need a hand up,” Miryah, an Atlanta mother enrolled in the program, said simply.

What if health care could be something different?

A coordinated ecosystem of support

A groundbreaking two-year pilot launching in Atlanta is working to answer that question. Developed by the AbbVie Foundation and CARE in partnership with Morehouse School of Medicine, Lyft and the Atlanta Community Food Bank, the initiative creates something health care rarely achieves: a coordinated ecosystem of support.

Continue reading the full article on care.org.

Originally published on AbbVie.com

The Drought Crisis in Somalia 

Somalia is facing a catastrophic drought emergency, with millions of people at risk of hunger, malnutrition, and preventable death. Consecutive poor rainy seasons have left communities struggling to access food and water, pushing the country into one of its most severe humanitarian crises in recent years. The Federal Government of Somalia has declared a national drought emergency due to the scale and urgency of the situation.

According to the latest IPC analysis, approximately 4.4 million people are projected to face severe acute food insecurity between October and December 2025. Of these, an estimated 1.85 million children under the age of five are expected to suffer from acute malnutrition through July 2026. With the next rainy season not expected until April 2026, the months ahead are critical to preventing avoidable loss of life.

Humanitarian Consequences of Drought 

Drought events have nearly tripled over the last thirty years, according to the Somali government, due to climate change impacting La Niña weather patterns. La Niña carries significant importance for Somalia’s agricultural sector, which makes up 80% of the country’s employment. When extended dry seasons delay harvests and harm soil health, the entire country’s economy and food security is damaged. Families are left with impossible choices like skipping meals or drinking from unclean water sources to get by until the delayed rains finally arrive

The humanitarian consequences are severe. Malnutrition rises, especially among vulnerable populations like children under the age of five. Malnutrition can have lasting impacts on children’s physical and cognitive development, while widespread food insecurity can destabilize entire communities and exacerbate the challenge of chronic hunger. Waterborne diseases also increase, and many families are forced to travel long distances in search of water, increasing the risk of illness and other dangers. With health needs rapidly climbing, health services become overwhelmed and struggle to meet the needs of the millions of families. Between 2022 and 2024, UNICEF estimated that 71,000 people in Somalia died due to drought-related causes.

If urgent interventions are not scaled up, the coming months could see preventable deaths among children and vulnerable populations, as well as displacement that disrupts communities and strains social systems.

Action Against Hunger’s Response 

Action Against Hunger has been working in Somalia since 1992, building strong relationships with the communities and local partners that enable us to quickly respond to the greatest needs in times of emergency. Our teams are on the ground, providing water, nutrition, and health support, and working closely with local partners to maximize impact.

1. Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene (WASH)

Access to safe water is critical in a drought, and Action Against Hunger is prioritizing emergency water provision. Our teams are trucking water to communities facing acute shortages and investing in sustainable water systems to ensure longer-term access.

In addition, hygiene kits are being distributed, containing essentials such as soap and water purification tablets, helping prevent disease outbreaks that often accompany water scarcity. By ensuring both availability and safety of water, these interventions help prevent dehydration, illness, and further vulnerability.

2. Health and Nutrition

Malnutrition is an emergency within the drought crisis. Action Against Hunger supports local health facilities and works closely with the Ministry of Health (MOH) and the World Health Organization (WHO) to deliver life-saving nutrition services.

Interventions include the treatment of severe acute malnutrition and the provision of primary healthcare services, addressing both immediate and underlying causes of malnutrition. By combining treatment with system strengthening, the organization helps communities not only survive the crisis but also build resilience against future shocks.

3. Partnership and Consortium Work

No organization can respond alone. Action Against Hunger leads a wide network of partners to scale impact and reach as many families as possible. Through initiatives such as the Caafimaad Plus consortium, joint programming enables the delivery of coordinated services, from health care to nutrition support, ensuring that aid reaches those most in need efficiently and effectively.

Funding Gap and the Call for Urgent Action 

Despite the massive scale of need, funding for the humanitarian response remains dangerously low. Only a quarter of Somalia’s 2025 Humanitarian Needs and Response Plan has been funded, limiting the ability of organizations to deliver life-saving interventions. Without rapid and substantial funding, the risk of avoidable deaths rises exponentially.

The next four months are crucial. With rains not expected until April 2026, strong action is needed to prevent a catastrophic spike in hunger and malnutrition. Action Against Hunger’s interventions are already saving lives, but these efforts must be matched with adequate funding and global attention to avert widespread tragedy.

***

Action Against Hunger leads the global movement to end hunger. We innovate solutions, advocate for change, and reach 26.5 million people every year with proven hunger prevention and treatment programs. As a nonprofit that works across over 55 countries, our 8,500+ dedicated staff members partner with communities to address the root causes of hunger, including climate change, conflict, inequity, and emergencies. We strive to create a world free from hunger, for everyone, for good.

A new report by the 21st Century School Fund, the International WELL Building Institute, and the National Council on School Facilities reveals massive, chronic underinvestment in school facilities and grounds, while offering a roadmap for turning the tide toward safer, healthier, and more modern schools.

WASHINGTON, D.C., January 5, 2026 /3BL/ – The 2025 State of Our Schools report, released by the 21st Century School Fund, International WELL Building Institute (IWBI), and the National Council on School Facilities (NCSF), shows that the U.S. now faces a $90 billion shortfall in school facility funding every single year, despite significant progress local school districts have made to ramp up their investments.

Since its earlier releases in 2016 and 2021, the report has tracked a steep and alarming rise in the nation’s school facilities funding deficit. What was a $46 billion gap in 2016 grew to $85 billion in 2021 and has continued to widen as school construction costs climb, building inventories expand, and aging facilities require more extensive maintenance, modernization, or replacement.

“Even as local districts have stepped up by increasing their annual spending on school facilities from $95 billion in 2016 to more than $150 billion now, they are still falling behind,” said Mary Filardo, Executive Director, 21st Century School Fund and lead author of the report. “As the funding gap for our critical school infrastructure grows, it becomes even harder to climb out of this hole unless we begin to better share the load across levels of government and embrace a dynamic solution set that ensures every public dollar delivers a stronger return on investment.”

In the United States, PK-12 school facilities represent the second largest sector of public infrastructure investment, surpassed only by highways. These buildings are where nearly 60 million students, teachers, and staff spend their days, making them among the most essential pieces of community infrastructure we have. Yet unlike transportation infrastructure, where federal and state governments shoulder most of the costs, school facilities are primarily left to local districts. The report finds that local districts bear 80 percent of school facility funding, with states contributing 17 percent and the federal government just 3 percent.

“With a $90 billion annual shortfall, the magnitude of this crisis is undeniable and utterly unacceptable. It’s simply impossible for local districts to continue to shoulder this burden disproportionately,” said Rachel Hodgdon, President and CEO, International WELL Building Institute. “Without greater responsibility across all levels of government, particularly the federal government, our country will continue to underfund the very infrastructure that determines the health, safety, and educational outcomes of millions of children. Where our children learn matters, and access to safe, healthy, and modern learning environments should be a right, not a privilege.”

The report also underscores how deeply uneven and unequal school facility investment remains across the country, with the most significant burdens falling on disadvantaged and rural districts. High-poverty districts had 30 percent less capital invested in their school buildings than low-poverty districts, and rural districts received less than half the per-student capital investment of their suburban and city counterparts. The findings point to persistent gaps that continue to leave rural and high-poverty communities bearing a disproportionate share of the burden and facing far greater challenges in achieving safe, healthy, and modern school facilities.

“For all of us who care about our communities, we know that our schools are their beating hearts. Closing these funding gaps should be a top priority for every one of us,” said Brandon Payne, Executive Director, National Council on School Facilities. “This is a moment to unite to ensure our public schools meet modern standards for health, safety, learning, and educational adequacy.”

Furthermore, according to the report, as school districts struggle to fill this widening gap, they are also sinking deeper into debt. By the end of fiscal year 2023, local districts carried more than half a trillion dollars in long-term debt and paid $22 billion in interest alone.

As stated in the report, the $90 billion annual investment gap reflects what is required for responsible stewardship and modern school facilities and grounds, covering both capital needs and operations and maintenance. Each year, the U.S. spends an average of $82 billion on capital improvements, leaving a $56 billion shortfall. Similarly, the total outlay for facility operations and maintenance is $70 billion, $34 billion less than needed. Together, these deficiencies in capital investment and ongoing maintenance constitute the total gap of $90 billion.

This year’s report does more than diagnose the scale and severity of the crisis; it also lays out a bold, actionable path to achieve modern schools by 2050. It calls for new approaches and more shared investment across all levels of government, alongside a stronger focus on building the capacity needed to deliver improvements. Central to its recommendations is securing a stable, reliable federal incentive funding program of $25 billion per year, which the report finds would reduce annual requirements by $75 billion – a 34 percent return on investment. The report also urges expanding federal support for state capacity grants for facility data, planning, technical assistance, and training to all states to ensure that states and districts are equipped for the modernization work ahead. (The Supporting America’s School Infrastructure).

What Other Leaders Are Saying about the 2025 State of Our Schools Report

“Public schools are public infrastructure.  And we should invest in them just as we invest in roads and bridges. With annual shortfalls growing despite increased state and local investment, it is clear that a federal partnership is needed,” said Senator Jack Reed (D-RI), the author of the Rebuild America’s Schools Act which would target new federal infrastructure investments to help local school districts address building and modernization needs. “Congress must come together to solve this crisis and deliver the federal investment our schools need to keep students healthy, safe, and equipped to meet the challenges of the future.”

“As a former Surgeon General, I had the honor to serve as the ‘Nation’s Doctor,’ and what I find particularly concerning are the serious health implications from poor conditions of school buildings and grounds. As I’ve said before, our facilities are not just walls, roofs, and blacktop – they are health-critical environments,” said Dr. Richard Carmona, 17th Surgeon General of the United States. “It’s time to take decisive action to ensure our schools are adequately funded so they are healthy, sustainable, safe, and secure, becoming places where learning thrives and dreams take hold.”

“Students need clean air, sufficient caring and competent staff to meet their needs, and enough room to do more than sit in rows and stand in lines. Many districts are being stretched too thin to provide these foundational facility characteristics for all their students,” said David Sturtz, Founder and CEO, Sturtz and Company. “We need at least as much thought, if not more, in how to adequately fund and design a school district’s facilities and operations as we do individual school buildings. If districts do not have sufficient budgets to keep all their buildings in good working condition and staff them sufficiently to meet their students’ needs, then focusing on the particulars of architectural design misses the mark.”

“Modern, thoughtfully designed public schools are not luxuries – they are essential to student success,” said Pamela Loeffelman, senior principal at DLR Group, an integrated design firm specializing in future-focused learning environments for K–12 schools. “Well-designed, dynamic learning environments empower students, support well-being, and are foundational for them to thrive in a rapidly changing world. We need federal leadership and sustained funding to ensure that all students, in every community, benefit from the power of modern, high-performing school facilities.”

About The 21st Century School Fund
21CSF is a not-for-profit organization dedicated to building the public will and capacity to modernize public school facilities so they support high-quality education and community revitalization. It is dedicated to helping local, state, and national stakeholders create a country where every child learns in an educationally appropriate, healthy, and safe school that serves as a community anchor and is built and maintained in an environmentally and fiscally responsible manner.

About the International WELL Building Institute
The International WELL Building Institute (IWBI) is a public benefit corporation and the global authority for transforming health and well-being in buildings, organizations and communities. In pursuit of its public-health mission, IWBI mobilizes its community through the development and administration of the WELL Building Standard (WELL), WELL for residential, WELL Community Standard, its WELL ratings and management of the WELL AP credential. IWBI also translates research into practice, develops educational resources and advocates for policies that promote people-first places for everyone, everywhere. More information on WELL can be found here.

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

About the National Council on School Facilities
The National Council on School Facilities is a membership organization of state facilities officials that supports states in their varied roles and responsibilities for elementary and secondary public school facilities. It advocates for support mechanisms, innovations, and processes that equitably deliver safe, healthy, and educationally appropriate public school facilities that are sustainable and fiscally sound.

Media contacts:
media@wellcertified.com
SODonnell@21csf.org
Brandon.Payne@facilitiescouncil.org

View original content here.

A new report by the 21st Century School Fund, the International WELL Building Institute, and the National Council on School Facilities reveals massive, chronic underinvestment in school facilities and grounds, while offering a roadmap for turning the tide toward safer, healthier, and more modern schools.

WASHINGTON, D.C., January 5, 2026 /3BL/ – The 2025 State of Our Schools report, released by the 21st Century School Fund, International WELL Building Institute (IWBI), and the National Council on School Facilities (NCSF), shows that the U.S. now faces a $90 billion shortfall in school facility funding every single year, despite significant progress local school districts have made to ramp up their investments.

Since its earlier releases in 2016 and 2021, the report has tracked a steep and alarming rise in the nation’s school facilities funding deficit. What was a $46 billion gap in 2016 grew to $85 billion in 2021 and has continued to widen as school construction costs climb, building inventories expand, and aging facilities require more extensive maintenance, modernization, or replacement.

“Even as local districts have stepped up by increasing their annual spending on school facilities from $95 billion in 2016 to more than $150 billion now, they are still falling behind,” said Mary Filardo, Executive Director, 21st Century School Fund and lead author of the report. “As the funding gap for our critical school infrastructure grows, it becomes even harder to climb out of this hole unless we begin to better share the load across levels of government and embrace a dynamic solution set that ensures every public dollar delivers a stronger return on investment.”

In the United States, PK-12 school facilities represent the second largest sector of public infrastructure investment, surpassed only by highways. These buildings are where nearly 60 million students, teachers, and staff spend their days, making them among the most essential pieces of community infrastructure we have. Yet unlike transportation infrastructure, where federal and state governments shoulder most of the costs, school facilities are primarily left to local districts. The report finds that local districts bear 80 percent of school facility funding, with states contributing 17 percent and the federal government just 3 percent.

“With a $90 billion annual shortfall, the magnitude of this crisis is undeniable and utterly unacceptable. It’s simply impossible for local districts to continue to shoulder this burden disproportionately,” said Rachel Hodgdon, President and CEO, International WELL Building Institute. “Without greater responsibility across all levels of government, particularly the federal government, our country will continue to underfund the very infrastructure that determines the health, safety, and educational outcomes of millions of children. Where our children learn matters, and access to safe, healthy, and modern learning environments should be a right, not a privilege.”

The report also underscores how deeply uneven and unequal school facility investment remains across the country, with the most significant burdens falling on disadvantaged and rural districts. High-poverty districts had 30 percent less capital invested in their school buildings than low-poverty districts, and rural districts received less than half the per-student capital investment of their suburban and city counterparts. The findings point to persistent gaps that continue to leave rural and high-poverty communities bearing a disproportionate share of the burden and facing far greater challenges in achieving safe, healthy, and modern school facilities.

“For all of us who care about our communities, we know that our schools are their beating hearts. Closing these funding gaps should be a top priority for every one of us,” said Brandon Payne, Executive Director, National Council on School Facilities. “This is a moment to unite to ensure our public schools meet modern standards for health, safety, learning, and educational adequacy.”

Furthermore, according to the report, as school districts struggle to fill this widening gap, they are also sinking deeper into debt. By the end of fiscal year 2023, local districts carried more than half a trillion dollars in long-term debt and paid $22 billion in interest alone.

As stated in the report, the $90 billion annual investment gap reflects what is required for responsible stewardship and modern school facilities and grounds, covering both capital needs and operations and maintenance. Each year, the U.S. spends an average of $82 billion on capital improvements, leaving a $56 billion shortfall. Similarly, the total outlay for facility operations and maintenance is $70 billion, $34 billion less than needed. Together, these deficiencies in capital investment and ongoing maintenance constitute the total gap of $90 billion.

This year’s report does more than diagnose the scale and severity of the crisis; it also lays out a bold, actionable path to achieve modern schools by 2050. It calls for new approaches and more shared investment across all levels of government, alongside a stronger focus on building the capacity needed to deliver improvements. Central to its recommendations is securing a stable, reliable federal incentive funding program of $25 billion per year, which the report finds would reduce annual requirements by $75 billion – a 34 percent return on investment. The report also urges expanding federal support for state capacity grants for facility data, planning, technical assistance, and training to all states to ensure that states and districts are equipped for the modernization work ahead. (The Supporting America’s School Infrastructure).

What Other Leaders Are Saying about the 2025 State of Our Schools Report

“Public schools are public infrastructure.  And we should invest in them just as we invest in roads and bridges. With annual shortfalls growing despite increased state and local investment, it is clear that a federal partnership is needed,” said Senator Jack Reed (D-RI), the author of the Rebuild America’s Schools Act which would target new federal infrastructure investments to help local school districts address building and modernization needs. “Congress must come together to solve this crisis and deliver the federal investment our schools need to keep students healthy, safe, and equipped to meet the challenges of the future.”

“As a former Surgeon General, I had the honor to serve as the ‘Nation’s Doctor,’ and what I find particularly concerning are the serious health implications from poor conditions of school buildings and grounds. As I’ve said before, our facilities are not just walls, roofs, and blacktop – they are health-critical environments,” said Dr. Richard Carmona, 17th Surgeon General of the United States. “It’s time to take decisive action to ensure our schools are adequately funded so they are healthy, sustainable, safe, and secure, becoming places where learning thrives and dreams take hold.”

“Students need clean air, sufficient caring and competent staff to meet their needs, and enough room to do more than sit in rows and stand in lines. Many districts are being stretched too thin to provide these foundational facility characteristics for all their students,” said David Sturtz, Founder and CEO, Sturtz and Company. “We need at least as much thought, if not more, in how to adequately fund and design a school district’s facilities and operations as we do individual school buildings. If districts do not have sufficient budgets to keep all their buildings in good working condition and staff them sufficiently to meet their students’ needs, then focusing on the particulars of architectural design misses the mark.”

“Modern, thoughtfully designed public schools are not luxuries – they are essential to student success,” said Pamela Loeffelman, senior principal at DLR Group, an integrated design firm specializing in future-focused learning environments for K–12 schools. “Well-designed, dynamic learning environments empower students, support well-being, and are foundational for them to thrive in a rapidly changing world. We need federal leadership and sustained funding to ensure that all students, in every community, benefit from the power of modern, high-performing school facilities.”

About The 21st Century School Fund
21CSF is a not-for-profit organization dedicated to building the public will and capacity to modernize public school facilities so they support high-quality education and community revitalization. It is dedicated to helping local, state, and national stakeholders create a country where every child learns in an educationally appropriate, healthy, and safe school that serves as a community anchor and is built and maintained in an environmentally and fiscally responsible manner.

About the International WELL Building Institute
The International WELL Building Institute (IWBI) is a public benefit corporation and the global authority for transforming health and well-being in buildings, organizations and communities. In pursuit of its public-health mission, IWBI mobilizes its community through the development and administration of the WELL Building Standard (WELL), WELL for residential, WELL Community Standard, its WELL ratings and management of the WELL AP credential. IWBI also translates research into practice, develops educational resources and advocates for policies that promote people-first places for everyone, everywhere. More information on WELL can be found here.

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

About the National Council on School Facilities
The National Council on School Facilities is a membership organization of state facilities officials that supports states in their varied roles and responsibilities for elementary and secondary public school facilities. It advocates for support mechanisms, innovations, and processes that equitably deliver safe, healthy, and educationally appropriate public school facilities that are sustainable and fiscally sound.

Media contacts:
media@wellcertified.com
SODonnell@21csf.org
Brandon.Payne@facilitiescouncil.org

View original content here.

NEW YORK and LONDON, January 6, 2026 /3BL/ – AccountAbility is glad to announce that its Chief Executive Officer, Mr. Sunil (Sunny) A. Misser, has been nominated and appointed to the Cardinal’s Committee for Charity, an initiative of Catholic Charities of the Archdiocese of New York. The Committee includes CEOs and senior partners from leading global organizations such as Santander, BlackRock, J.P. Morgan, Citi, EY, KPMG, and others, who collaborate to advance the mission of the Catholic Charities through philanthropic and civic engagement across the Greater New York region.

Mr. Misser’s nomination was led by Mr. Marco Antonio Achon, Co-Chair of the Cardinal’s Committee for Charity and Member of the Board of Trustees for the Catholic Charities of New York. Mr. Achon also serves as the Global Head of Corporate and Investment Banking for Santander.

“Mr. Misser’s leadership exemplifies what this Committee seeks to represent – trust, empathy, and a commitment to service,” said Mr. Achon. “His experience in driving accountability, partnerships and impact across global institutions brings an important perspective to our shared mission of building stronger, responsible and more compassionate communities throughout New York.”

The appointment recognizes Mr. Misser’s long-standing commitment to advancing responsible business, better governance, and social impact, both, globally and within the local communities that AccountAbility calls home. His participation will focus on strengthening partnerships that create equitable opportunity and support local and state-wide initiatives aimed at improving lives and livelihoods.

“It is a privilege to join the Cardinal’s Committee for Charity and contribute to its mission of compassion and community,” said Mr. Misser, Chief Executive Officer of AccountAbility. “While AccountAbility works with organizations around the world to advance sustainability and performance, this role reflects our equally important commitment to improving lives here in New York.”

Mr. Misser’s appointment builds upon AccountAbility’s ongoing efforts to integrate purpose and performance – and underscores the firm’s belief that responsible leadership begins at home , where the firm recently launched the AccountAbility Sustainability “S” Lab partnership with the Colin Powell School for Civic and Global Leadership at the City College of New York (CCNY), where Mr. Misser serves on the school’s Board of Visitors.

About AccountAbility

Established in 1995, AccountAbility is a leading global consulting and standards firm dedicated to advancing the Sustainability and ESG agenda. The firm works with businesses, investors, governments, and multilateral organizations to improve sustainability performance, drive innovation, and create lasting impact. Operating as a Public Benefit Corporation, AccountAbility has a global presence with offices in New York, London, Riyadh, and Dubai. The firm has been recognized by the Financial Times, Forbes, and Capital Finance International for its excellence in sustainability, strategy, and governance and its website is archived by the United States Library of Congress.

Learn more at www.accountability.org. ‍

About Catholic Charities of New York

Catholic Charities of the Archdiocese of New York provides help and creates hope for hundreds of thousands of New Yorkers in need – non-Catholic and Catholic alike. The organization delivers a broad network of services across food security, housing, immigration, education, workforce development, and emergency assistance. The Cardinal’s Committee for Charity engages business and civic leaders in advancing these initiatives to build a more just and compassionate New York.

‍Learn more at www.catholiccharitiesny.org.

NEW YORK and LONDON, January 6, 2026 /3BL/ – AccountAbility is glad to announce that its Chief Executive Officer, Mr. Sunil (Sunny) A. Misser, has been nominated and appointed to the Cardinal’s Committee for Charity, an initiative of Catholic Charities of the Archdiocese of New York. The Committee includes CEOs and senior partners from leading global organizations such as Santander, BlackRock, J.P. Morgan, Citi, EY, KPMG, and others, who collaborate to advance the mission of the Catholic Charities through philanthropic and civic engagement across the Greater New York region.

Mr. Misser’s nomination was led by Mr. Marco Antonio Achon, Co-Chair of the Cardinal’s Committee for Charity and Member of the Board of Trustees for the Catholic Charities of New York. Mr. Achon also serves as the Global Head of Corporate and Investment Banking for Santander.

“Mr. Misser’s leadership exemplifies what this Committee seeks to represent – trust, empathy, and a commitment to service,” said Mr. Achon. “His experience in driving accountability, partnerships and impact across global institutions brings an important perspective to our shared mission of building stronger, responsible and more compassionate communities throughout New York.”

The appointment recognizes Mr. Misser’s long-standing commitment to advancing responsible business, better governance, and social impact, both, globally and within the local communities that AccountAbility calls home. His participation will focus on strengthening partnerships that create equitable opportunity and support local and state-wide initiatives aimed at improving lives and livelihoods.

“It is a privilege to join the Cardinal’s Committee for Charity and contribute to its mission of compassion and community,” said Mr. Misser, Chief Executive Officer of AccountAbility. “While AccountAbility works with organizations around the world to advance sustainability and performance, this role reflects our equally important commitment to improving lives here in New York.”

Mr. Misser’s appointment builds upon AccountAbility’s ongoing efforts to integrate purpose and performance – and underscores the firm’s belief that responsible leadership begins at home , where the firm recently launched the AccountAbility Sustainability “S” Lab partnership with the Colin Powell School for Civic and Global Leadership at the City College of New York (CCNY), where Mr. Misser serves on the school’s Board of Visitors.

About AccountAbility

Established in 1995, AccountAbility is a leading global consulting and standards firm dedicated to advancing the Sustainability and ESG agenda. The firm works with businesses, investors, governments, and multilateral organizations to improve sustainability performance, drive innovation, and create lasting impact. Operating as a Public Benefit Corporation, AccountAbility has a global presence with offices in New York, London, Riyadh, and Dubai. The firm has been recognized by the Financial Times, Forbes, and Capital Finance International for its excellence in sustainability, strategy, and governance and its website is archived by the United States Library of Congress.

Learn more at www.accountability.org. ‍

About Catholic Charities of New York

Catholic Charities of the Archdiocese of New York provides help and creates hope for hundreds of thousands of New Yorkers in need – non-Catholic and Catholic alike. The organization delivers a broad network of services across food security, housing, immigration, education, workforce development, and emergency assistance. The Cardinal’s Committee for Charity engages business and civic leaders in advancing these initiatives to build a more just and compassionate New York.

‍Learn more at www.catholiccharitiesny.org.

NEW YORK and LONDON, January 6, 2026 /3BL/ – AccountAbility is glad to announce that its Chief Executive Officer, Mr. Sunil (Sunny) A. Misser, has been nominated and appointed to the Cardinal’s Committee for Charity, an initiative of Catholic Charities of the Archdiocese of New York. The Committee includes CEOs and senior partners from leading global organizations such as Santander, BlackRock, J.P. Morgan, Citi, EY, KPMG, and others, who collaborate to advance the mission of the Catholic Charities through philanthropic and civic engagement across the Greater New York region.

Mr. Misser’s nomination was led by Mr. Marco Antonio Achon, Co-Chair of the Cardinal’s Committee for Charity and Member of the Board of Trustees for the Catholic Charities of New York. Mr. Achon also serves as the Global Head of Corporate and Investment Banking for Santander.

“Mr. Misser’s leadership exemplifies what this Committee seeks to represent – trust, empathy, and a commitment to service,” said Mr. Achon. “His experience in driving accountability, partnerships and impact across global institutions brings an important perspective to our shared mission of building stronger, responsible and more compassionate communities throughout New York.”

The appointment recognizes Mr. Misser’s long-standing commitment to advancing responsible business, better governance, and social impact, both, globally and within the local communities that AccountAbility calls home. His participation will focus on strengthening partnerships that create equitable opportunity and support local and state-wide initiatives aimed at improving lives and livelihoods.

“It is a privilege to join the Cardinal’s Committee for Charity and contribute to its mission of compassion and community,” said Mr. Misser, Chief Executive Officer of AccountAbility. “While AccountAbility works with organizations around the world to advance sustainability and performance, this role reflects our equally important commitment to improving lives here in New York.”

Mr. Misser’s appointment builds upon AccountAbility’s ongoing efforts to integrate purpose and performance – and underscores the firm’s belief that responsible leadership begins at home , where the firm recently launched the AccountAbility Sustainability “S” Lab partnership with the Colin Powell School for Civic and Global Leadership at the City College of New York (CCNY), where Mr. Misser serves on the school’s Board of Visitors.

About AccountAbility

Established in 1995, AccountAbility is a leading global consulting and standards firm dedicated to advancing the Sustainability and ESG agenda. The firm works with businesses, investors, governments, and multilateral organizations to improve sustainability performance, drive innovation, and create lasting impact. Operating as a Public Benefit Corporation, AccountAbility has a global presence with offices in New York, London, Riyadh, and Dubai. The firm has been recognized by the Financial Times, Forbes, and Capital Finance International for its excellence in sustainability, strategy, and governance and its website is archived by the United States Library of Congress.

Learn more at www.accountability.org. ‍

About Catholic Charities of New York

Catholic Charities of the Archdiocese of New York provides help and creates hope for hundreds of thousands of New Yorkers in need – non-Catholic and Catholic alike. The organization delivers a broad network of services across food security, housing, immigration, education, workforce development, and emergency assistance. The Cardinal’s Committee for Charity engages business and civic leaders in advancing these initiatives to build a more just and compassionate New York.

‍Learn more at www.catholiccharitiesny.org.

EL CERRITO, Calif., January 6, 2026 /3BL/ – In partnership with Pacific Gas and Electric Company (PG&E), Net Impact has launched the Home Electrification Challenge, a statewide competition inviting students from colleges and universities across California to design innovative customer engagement strategies that accelerate home and neighborhood-level electrification across PG&E’s diverse customer base.

The challenge addresses a critical need in California’s path to achieving its ambitious climate goals: moving home electrification from an innovation-driven concept into a trusted, preferred choice for PG&E customers. As California works toward a sustainable energy future, PG&E seeks innovative approaches to help customers understand the benefits of electrification and inspire electrified homeowners to become active advocates within their communities. PG&E turned to Net Impact to activate its business-focused community to help tackle this challenge.

“Home electrification is essential to meeting California’s climate targets, but technical solutions alone won’t get us there,” said Karen Johns, CEO of Net Impact. “We need to understand what motivates customers, address their concerns, and activate a movement of advocates. This challenge empowers the next generation of leaders to tackle one of the most pressing sustainability challenges of our time, and we’re thrilled to do it alongside one of our longtime partners, PG&E.”

Participating students will leverage PG&E’s existing electrification programs and resources when developing strategies that consider the complexities of customer behavior, equity considerations, and the opportunities presented by early adopters who help shape public perception.

“California students bring fresh perspectives and innovative thinking that can help us reach customers in new ways” said David Poster, Director of Building Electrification and Efficiency at PG&E. “By partnering with Net Impact, we’re tapping into the creativity and passion of future sustainability leaders who understand both the urgency of climate action and the importance of meeting customers where they are.”

The challenge unfolds in two competitive phases. First, student teams will develop and present their customer engagement strategies at local pitch-off events hosted by Net Impact chapters across the state. Second, select finalist teams will advance to a regional showcase at PG&E’s headquarters in Oakland, California, where they will present to

PG&E leaders and compete for an overall grand prize of $2,000.

Beyond cash prizes, participants will build valuable skills in customer-centric strategy design, expand their professional networks through direct engagement with PG&E’s sustainability and customer electrification teams, and gain hands-on experience addressing real-world climate challenges.

Net Impact manages and facilitates the program by bringing together its extensive network of emerging social impact and sustainability leaders at colleges and universities across California. With more than 10 years of experience building and executing experiential education opportunities, Net Impact specializes in equipping business leaders to address social challenges, protect the environment, and leverage the tools of business toward the greater good.

More information about the Home Electrification Challenge can be found at

netimpact.org/programs/home-electrification-challenge.

About Net Impact

Net Impact, one of the largest and oldest global member organizations focused on impact,

engages over 50,000 students and professionals annually. With almost 300 chapters in over 40 countries, our members are pursuing impactful careers and impactful lives across diverse industries, including business, sustainability, and social impact fields. Net Impact engages its global chapter community in experiential education-focused programming, convenings, and civic and community engagement projects. Net Impact is committed to using business as a force for good and building the capacity of the next generation of workforce members. Visit www.netimpact.org.

About Pacific Gas and Electric Company

Pacific Gas and Electric Company, a subsidiary of PG&E Corporation (NYSE: PCG), is a combined natural gas and electric utility serving more than sixteen million people across 70,000 square miles in Northern and Central California. For more information, visit pge.com and pge.com/news.

CONTACT:

Net Impact
Hilary Manzo, Associate Director of Programs
EmpoweringHomes@netimpact.org

PG&E
Paul Doherty, Manager, Clean Energy & Innovation Communications
paul.doherty@pge.com

Since publishing our first ESG report in 2020, we have been making constant progress in achieving a range of environmental, social and governance goals. Every year, as we draft the annual report, we take time to review our achievements and reassess our objectives. This year, however, feels different, especially due to the number of pivotal moments that have been reached. These milestones aren’t only ‘pretty on paper’ – they’re real-world, quantitative achievements that affect both people and planet.

Adopting a value chain perspective

For the first time, we measured and estimated the total greenhouse gas emissions from activities connected to Caesarstone operations, across our entire value chain, via Scope 3 calculations whose reach extended beyond direct operations and purchased energy. These measurements included suppliers, logistics and downstream activities, allowing us to better understand our eco-footprint and identify future improvement opportunities.

“ESG reporting is based on data collection, and broader perspectives lead to richer data”, explains Gili Harpaz, Caesarstone’s Global ESG Leader. “In 2024, in an effort to achieve a wider, more robust snapshot of its operations, Caesarstone expanded its scope, analyzing its entire value chain for valuable ESG-related data.”

As part of our broadened evaluation scope, we began assessing the physical and transitional climate risks posed to our global operations – including our supply partners. Using established methodologies, we assessed our physical risks and transitional risks, which will help us adapt to dynamic realities in practice and strategy, strengthening our resilience and market alignment.

We also made real progress in expanding our ESG ecosystem to include our key strategic partners. This was accomplished by collecting and reporting their operational data – from energy use and waste management to labor practices. Our goal was to elevate our transparency while making strides towards creating collective ESG goals.

Measurables that make a difference

In 2019, we set ambitious long-term goals pertaining to our products and raw materials; water; waste; and energy. Using strict assessments, we’ve seen constant progress that is exemplified in every ESG report since 2020.

The 2024 report includes two stand-out goal attainments, in the recycling and wastewater categories. We achieved a 100% recycling rate at our Lioli production plant in India, while recycling 100% of our wastewater at our production sites and key distribution centers. Our strategic partners reused 100% of their wastewater, as well.

Responsible product innovation

2024 was a significant year for Caesarstone in terms of product innovation and sustainability. Perhaps the biggest headline was the launch of Caesarstone ICON – advanced fusion surfaces that are crystalline silica-free* and made with ~80% recycled materials. Our cutting-edge R&D teams worked together to create new surfaces that incorporate used materials in groundbreaking fashion, leading to designs that feature unprecedented depth. It is our hope that Caesarstone ICON, whose 2026 collection unveiling is just around the corner, will help lead the industry’s transition to crystalline silica-free solutions with heightened environmental values.

As for our globally beloved quartz and porcelain surfaces, we continued to reinforce their transparency through an EPD certification process. An EPD (Environmental Product Declaration) is a report that evaluates the environmental impacts of a product based on detailed Life Cycle Assessment (LCA).

“In 2023, five of our models achieved EPD, which was a milestone in itself. By the end 2024, our portfolio included 71 EPD-certified models in our portfolio – a number expected to increase to 146 at the start of 2026”, says Gili Harpaz. “By employing a Life Cycle Assessment, we are acknowledging a growing customer need to delve into the specifics of surface manufacturing, including pre-manufacturing and post-dismantlement treatment.”

* May contain traces of less than 1% crystalline silica.

Social and governance

The 2024 ESG report charts Caesarstone’s progress across key social and governance parameters, from employee well-being and learning and development to business ethics and data protection. Especially compelling is the chapter dedicated to health and safety management, which showcases the progress made in safety monitoring. The number of total incident reports has declined from 58 in 2022 to 35 in 2024, while the number of inspections and internal audits increased (588 in 2022; 1,952 in 2023; 2,350 in 2024).

Caesarstone ESG: A forward-approach journey 

“The 2024 ESG Report shows just how organized, direct and meticulous we are when it comes to sustainability management and reporting”, concludes Harpaz. “Sustainability is an inseparable part of Caesarstone’s DNA, and I believe those who read the report will get an accurate sense of how committed we are to ESG excellence.”

In the foreword to the 2024 ESG Report, Caesarstone’s CEO, Yos Shiran, states that “sustainability is achieved through the power of together”. This is the essence of Caesarstone’s ESG efforts. We’re always collaborating and sharing, relying on the expertise and concern of our teams, partners and stakeholders. We do not go at it alone. We learn, empower and grow through synergy and teamwork.

Click here to download the 2024 ESG report

Looking to reduce your time spent scrolling and increase your time spent reading? We’re here to help you reach that goal … and even learn while you do it!

We asked our experts as well as Antea Group clients and friends about their favorite books about Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG), and sustainability. While sustainability is sometimes seen as synonymous with ESG, this selection of books goes beyond purely environmental subjects to include broader social and corporate governance topics that inspire new thinking for businesses.

These 10 books made the list of educational, inspiring, and eye-opening must-reads for the year:

 

Leaving Planet Simple: Embracing Sustainability, ESG, and Resilience to Transform Your Business 

Author: Dr. Alex Gold

From the Back Cover: “Dr. Gold, with a PhD in resilience science and extensive corporate experience, shows us that rather than trying to master it, nature has quite a bit to teach us. Dr. Gold explains that what often hinders business leaders today is an outdated mindset. This is life on Planet Simple, a world where businesses can operate in isolation, separate from the environment and the communities they inhabit. Instead, Dr. Gold shows us that a business, really any organization, is much more like a natural environment, an ecosystem where all the parts are interconnected and changing all the time. Business leaders must leave Planet Simple, abandon this simplistic mindset, and embrace a new resilience mindset better suited for Planet Earth.”

Publisher: Forbes Books

Where to Find It: Bookshop.org | Amazon

 

Insectopolis 

Author: Peter Kuper

From the Back Cover: “This visually immersive work of graphic nonfiction dives into a world where ants, cicadas, bees, and butterflies visit a library exhibition that displays their stories and humanity’s connection to them throughout the ages. Kuper’s thrilling visual feast layers history and science, color and design, to tell the remarkable tales of dung beetles navigating by the stars, hawk-size prehistoric dragonflies hunting prey, and mosquitoes changing the course of human history.”

Publisher: W. W. Norton & Company

Where to Find It: Bookshop.org | Amazon

 

Becoming Nature Positive 

Author: Marco Lambertini, Joseph W Bull, LeRoy Little Bear, et al.

From the Back Cover: “As humanity sits at an existential crossroads, this book introduces the need to build a nature-positive future to secure the functioning and stability of Earth systems essential to the survival and wellbeing of present and future human generations as well as the rest of Earth’s amazing diversity of life.”

Publisher: Routledge

Where to Find It: Bookshop.org | Amazon

 

Higher Ground: How Business Can Do the Right Thing in a Turbulent World 

Author: Alison Taylor

From the Back Cover: “Today’s headlines teem with employee unrest over racial injustice, communities infuriated by corporate environmental impacts, staff anxiety over surveillance, public outrage over corruption in business, and discoveries of child labor in supply chains. We’ve traveled far and fast from the old world of business ethics, where black-and-white concerns about bribery and fraud could be addressed via rules and processes. Simply maximizing shareholder value while not breaking the law is no longer a tenable approach, but we’ve never been so confused about what it means to do the right thing-and why it’s so important.”

Publisher: Harvard Business Review Press

Where to Find It: Bookshop.org | Amazon

 

Not the End of the World: How We Can Be the First Generation to Build a Sustainable Planet 

Author: Hannah Ritchie

From the Back Cover: “Packed with the latest research, practical guidance, and enlightening graphics, this book will make you rethink almost everything you’ve been told about the environment. Not the End of the World will give you the tools to understand our current crisis and make lifestyle changes that actually have an impact. Hannah cuts through the noise by outlining what works, what doesn’t, and what we urgently need to focus on so we can leave a sustainable planet for future generations.”

Publisher: Little, Brown Spark

Where to Find It: Bookshop.org | Amazon

 

Under a Metal Sky: A Journey Through Minerals, Greed and Wonder 

Author: Philip Marsden

From the Back Cover: “Under a Metal Sky takes us on a journey across the peat-rich Dutch lowlands, through Prague and Bohemia, and on to the gold-rich mountains of Georgia. Along the way, Philip Marsden uncovers the strange and colorful histories of alchemy, scientific revolution, industrialization, and technological innovation, peopled by figures like the Habsburg Emperor Rudolf II, Goethe, Marie Curie, and William Blake. But alongside wonder and inspiration, there has also been plunder and heedless exploitation, the consequences of which have set us on a path toward our own extinction.”

Publisher: Counterpoint

Where to Find It: Bookshop.org, Amazon

 

ESG Mindset: Business Resilience and Sustainable Growth 

Author: Matthew Sekol

From the Back Cover: “ESG Mindset guides business leaders, ESG specialists and CSR strategists through the nuanced and most thoughtful ways to focus on these core business issues. Equipping readers with an enhanced way to think through complex business decisions and interconnected crises, the book provides accessible perspectives and real-world examples from companies around the world that have implemented a meaningful approach to ESG and learned lessons along the way. Readers will learn how to think about pressing ESG challenges from a new perspective and build defensibility in their efforts to future-proof a business and potentially save the world as only they can.”

Publisher: Kogan Page

Where to Find It: Bookshop.org | Amazon

 

Waste Wars: The Wild Afterlife of Your Trash 

Author: Alexander Clapp

From the Back Cover: Dumps and landfills around the world are overflowing. Disputes about what to do with the millions of tons of garbage generated every day have given rise to waste wars waged almost everywhere you look. Some are border skirmishes. Others hustle trash across thousands of miles and multiple oceans. But no matter the scale, one thing is true about almost all of them: few people have any idea they’re happening.

Publisher: Little Brown and Company

Where to Find It: Bookshop.org | Amazon

 

Human Nature: Nine Ways to Feel About Our Changing Planet

Author: Kate Marvel

From the Back Cover: “Scientist Kate Marvel has seen the world end before, sometimes several times a day. In the computer models she uses to study climate change, it’s easy to simulate rising temperatures, catastrophic outcomes, and bleak futures. But climate change isn’t just happening in those models. It’s happening here, to the only good planet in the universe. It’s happening to us. And she has feelings about that.”

Publisher: Ecco

Where to Find It: Bookshop.org | Amazon

 

Close to Home: The Wonders of Nature Just Outside Your Door 

Author: Thor Hanson

From the Back Cover: “In Close to Home, biologist Thor Hanson shows how retraining our eyes reveals hidden wonders just waiting to be discovered. In Kansas City, migrating monarch butterflies flock to the local zoo. In the Pacific Northwest, fierce yellowjackets placidly sip honeydew, unseen in the treetops. In New England, a lawn gone slightly wild hosts a naturalist’s life’s work. And in the soil beneath our feet, remedies for everything from breast cancer to the stench of skunks lie waiting for someone’s searching shovel.”

Publisher: Basic Books

Where to Find It: Bookshop.org | Amazon

 

Looking for more learning opportunities? Check out these other blogs: Stay On Top of Energy Transition With These Top 10 Podcasts and The 10 Best Sustainability Podcasts for Environmental Business Leaders.