Tag: 3BL

Watch Season 5 Episode 10: Rebuilding The Future: The New Circular Blueprint

The world is waking up to a new reality: recycling alone won’t fix our waste problem. To build a truly sustainable future, we need to go circular – rethinking how we design, use, and recover the materials that shape our lives. We can beat the endless downcycle by designing smarter, innovating materials, and even dreaming up new consumption models. This isn’t recycling 2.0. It’s the blueprint for a new economy, one that preserves value, reduces strain on natural resources, and transforms waste into opportunity. 

A new circularity definition

In this episode, hosts Scott Tew and Dominique Silva are joined by Jenelle Shapiro, Circularity Leader at Trane Technologies; Julia Gisewite, Chief Sustainability Officer, and Nelson Russom, Waste and Circularity Program Manager, both at Turner Construction Company. Together, they explore how circular design is reshaping everything from manufacturing and supply chains to construction and the built environment, and why collaboration and innovation are key to keeping materials in play, not throwing them away.

Featured in this Episode:

Hosts:
Dominique Silva, Marketing Leader EMEA, Trane Technologies
Scott Tew, Vice President Sustainability and Managing Director, Center for Energy Efficiency and Sustainability, Trane Technologies

Guests:
Jenelle Shapiro, Circularity Leader, Trane Technologies
Julia Gisewite, Chief Sustainability Officer, Turner Construction Company
Nelson Russom, Waste and Circularity Program Manager, Turner Construction Company

About Healthy Spaces

Healthy Spaces is a podcast by Trane Technologies where experts and disruptors explore how climate technology and innovation are transforming the spaces where we live, work, learn and play.

This season, hosts Dominique Silva and Scott Tew bring a fresh batch of uplifting stories, featuring inspiring people who are overcoming challenges to drive positive change across multiple industries. We’ll discover how technology and AI can drive business growth, and help the planet breathe a little bit easier.

Listen and subscribe to Healthy Spaces on your favorite podcast platforms:

Apple Podcasts 
Spotify 
YouTube 
Amazon Music

How are you making an impact? What sustainable innovation do you think will change the world?

Share your story with us and learn more about the Healthy Spaces Podcast.

Entergy Arkansas is investing in the next generation of leaders — and the state’s future workforce — through new partnerships with four of Arkansas’s Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs).

During a press conference held at Philander Smith University in Little Rock, company leaders officially announced the Arkansas launch of Power of Prosperity, a multi-year, $20 million initiative designed to expand opportunities for students and strengthen communities across Entergy’s four-state service area.

The program supports Arkansas Baptist College, Philander Smith University, Shorter College and the University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff with resources that include scholarships, internships, financial literacy education, and campus improvement grants.

“This effort is about more than scholarships — it’s about creating opportunity,” said Laura Landreaux, president and CEO of Entergy Arkansas. “When we invest in students and institutions like our state’s HBCUs, we’re not just powering homes and businesses — we’re powering the next generation of leaders who will shape Arkansas’s future.”

The Power of Prosperity program is a key part of Entergy’s broader mission to power life and create pathways to prosperity for the communities it serves. Through this initiative, students gain access to education, career readiness, and financial tools that help them achieve long-term success.

Ventrell Thompson, vice president of customer service for Entergy Arkansas, said the partnerships help build a pipeline of talent that’s critical to Arkansas’s continued growth.

“Our goal is to help students develop the skills and confidence they need to thrive in their careers — and to do it right here at home,” Thompson said. “This collaboration is about investing in people, in potential, and in the state’s future.”

The program’s reach extends beyond the classroom. Through Entergy’s partnerships with Stackwell Capital and Single Stop, students and families gain access to tools that promote financial health and connect them to essential support services.

The initiative also builds on Entergy’s ongoing work with the Accessing Careers in Energy Summit (ACES), a regional workforce program designed to introduce students to the wide range of opportunities in the energy industry. This year, the University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff joined ACES for the first time, further linking students to meaningful career pathways in energy, technology, and engineering.

Power of Prosperity represents Entergy’s belief that when communities thrive, so does the company. By partnering with institutions that have long been pillars of educational excellence and access, Entergy is helping ensure that Arkansas’s future is bright, inclusive, and full of opportunity.

To learn more about Entergy’s Power of Prosperity program and its commitment to education and workforce development, visit here.

View original content here.

Mía Lee knows the power of connection. As a contemporary painter and textile designer, she treats each of her pieces not just as a work of beauty but as a bridge between people, communities and shared experiences.

“My characters act as anchors for empathy, giving form to emotions we all understand,” she says.

Lee has garnered several accolades in the art world and beyond. She has worked with the musician Chance the Rapper and Nike, was showcased in the Los Angeles County Museum of Art — the largest museum in the western U.S. — and just partnered with Metro by T-Mobile for The Metro Drop’s first collab, dubbed “The Price Drop Drop:” a streetwear exclusive that turned Metro’s lowered plan prices and 5‑year price guarantee on talk, text and data into wearable art. Lee’s drop was an immediate success as crowds packed the pop-up, and the collection sold out within hours.

The Metro Drop celebrates the culture, creativity and everyday energy of the neighborhoods that inspire Lee and Metro. She designed sold-out limited-edition graphic tees, statement hats and socks for The Price Drop Drop inspired by the energy that raised her on Chicago’s South Side: from the colors to the spirit.

“Capturing the vibrant energy of the block — the people on their lunch breaks, the street vendors, even the fire hydrants — allows me to paint a complete picture and offer a transparent glimpse into my world,” Lee says. “Partnering with Metro felt natural because they show up the same way I try to — with honesty, intention and a deep love for where we come from. This collab with Metro isn’t just about fashion. It’s about being seen, being heard and showing pride in where you’re from.”

We talked with Lee about the importance of connection, technology and the legacy she’s building — one piece of art at a time.

Mía, you have a very distinct style and work in different mediums, from canvas to clothes. How do you define your art?

It’s a means of storytelling rooted in narrative, personal experience and empathy. Visually, my pieces are bright and feature characters with relatable expressions. This approach helps me tell stories across all kinds of mediums, from traditional paintings to textiles.

The Metro Drop’s philosophy is to turn Metro’s brand promise into a celebration of culture and connection through something people can see, feel and wear. How important is connection to your community, to the world around you and even to other artists when creating art?

Connection is essential, especially since my art is all about visual stories. Growing up in Chicago, I built a community of artists who inspired each other. It’s the same now that I live in Brooklyn; my neighbors are artists, their friends are artists, and we are all part of one big creative community where we feed off each other.

How does technology help you stay connected to those groups?

Sometimes a little too well, but technology is vital. It keeps me connected to people in my community who live all over the world, letting us share glimpses into each other’s lives. As an artist, I also use technology to help me unplug and focus on my work, like playing music. I try to maintain a healthy balance.

Can you tell us about a time when your phone was an important tool in your artistic process?

Like many creators on social media, I use my phone to record and edit videos of my paintings. I used to be intimidated by it, but I learned you can create professional, high-quality content without expensive equipment. Recently, I’ve been making painting videos that feel like short films. It’s been fun to share my process with people who ask about it a lot.

What do you want people to take away from your collaboration with Metro, the Price Drop Drop?

This collaboration was a true labor of love. We poured our hearts into more than just the apparel; the entire campaign was dedicated to authentic storytelling. Going into the heart of the community to shoot the campaign made this project the most fulfilling part of the entire journey.

What legacy are you hoping to leave in your community?

I want to help guide a narrative that people all over the world can appreciate. The talent in Chicago, especially from the South Side, is incredible. The big thing for me is seeing the next generation take the reins and keep pushing this story with their art. But most importantly, I just want to make my family proud.

Check out The Price Drop Drop here.

At Covia, innovation isn’t a department—it’s a mindset. For years, we’ve partnered with customers across industries to solve tough challenges using the unique properties of industrial minerals and our process know-how. From improving product performance to reducing environmental impact, our work has always centered on discovering better ways to serve our customers and their customers.

Now, with the opening of the Covia Innovation Center (CIC) in Concord, North Carolina, that commitment has a new home.

This state-of-the-art facility is a physical representation of Covia’s approach to innovation: to deliver value through smart, sustainable solutions. While innovation is not limited to a single team or facility, the CIC provides a centralized, purpose-built environment where our team and our customers can accelerate progress together.

A Legacy of Innovation, Evolved

Covia’s reputation as a leader in the industrial minerals space is built on the quality of the minerals we mine combined with our ability to leverage technology and our process capability, which enables us to develop the full potential of the raw materials. Central to this purpose is working hand in hand with our customers to identify and solve their challenges. We’ve long believed that enabling our customers’ successes requires deep technical knowledge, cross-functional collaboration and a relentless curiosity about what’s possible.

“We are not just a raw material supplier—we are a mineral solutions provider,” said Mike Marcely, Covia’s EVP, US/Canada and Business Development. “We grow together with our customers, and we take a customer-centric approach to innovation.”

That approach has long guided Covia’s investments in application labs, pilot facilities and analytical centers—from our Analytical Services Lab in Ottawa, Illinois, to our mineral processing lab in Santa Catarina, Mexico. The opening of the CIC represents the next step in expanding those capabilities. Rather than consolidating existing resources, the CIC enhances our ability to collaborate, test and solve problems alongside customers. It reflects Covia’s company-wide mindset: innovation isn’t confined to a single site—it’s embedded in everything we do, and the CIC brings even more tools and space to put that mindset into action.

A New Chapter: The Covia Innovation Center

Although we look forward to a formal grand opening later this year, our scientists and engineers are already utilizing the space to solve customer challenges, collaborate on new projects, advance mineral solutions and support process innovation.

The 20,000-square-foot facility includes 13,000 square feet dedicated to product development and 7,000 square feet of office and collaboration space. It’s home to specialized rooms for coatings development, mineral processing, polymer applications and more, plus configurable lab space for expanded capabilities as needs evolve.

The center also houses dedicated conference rooms, the Ideate and Innovate rooms, and a multi-purpose room, the Inspire room, which will foster opportunities for cross-disciplinary discussion, idea generation and hands-on teamwork.

“This is a customer hub,” Marcely explained. “It will be a basecamp for collaboration and a place to create value together with our customers.”

Purpose-Built to Solve Real-World Challenges

The CIC was designed not just to enable technical and process breakthroughs, but to ensure they have real business impact. That means aligning every project with customer needs, market demands and real-world performance goals.

“It’s not a technical push approach,” Marcely said. “We ask, ‘Does what we’re doing help our customers improve performance? Reduce costs? Enhance sustainability? Solve their customers’ challenges?’ That’s our focus.”

Rather than conducting theoretical research, the CIC focuses on applied science—processing and modifying minerals, simulating customer applications and refining formulations to meet specific performance criteria. One recent example involves surface-modified minerals that enhance scrub resistance in architectural coatings, helping paint manufacturers deliver easier-to-clean walls for end users.

Customer Collaboration at the Core

What makes the CIC unique isn’t just the tools—it’s the way they’re used. Covia’s approach to innovation is deeply collaborative, involving input from team members in sales, marketing, product management, engineering, operations and technology, as well as customers themselves.

“Innovation is a team sport,” Marcely said. “It goes beyond R&D. It includes how we serve customers, how we think about business models and how we bring different perspectives together.”

Field insights gathered by technical sales and service teams feed directly into the CIC’s project pipeline, ensuring that the customer voice is present at every stage of development. And because the CIC is conveniently located not far from Charlotte, NC, it’s easy for customers and internal teams to meet, brainstorm and work together in person.

Designed for Agility, Built for Growth

Modularity and flexibility were top priorities in the design of the CIC. Lab spaces can be quickly reconfigured to support new focus areas—from coatings and polymers to sports and recreation, or emerging markets.

“What we’re doing today is not necessarily what we’ll be doing tomorrow,” said Steven Schilling, Director of Technology and Application Development. “That’s why we built this space with an emphasis on flexibility so we can pivot easily.”

Airflow systems minimize cross-contamination between rooms. Utilities drop from the ceiling to enable fast reconfiguration. Benches in the lab are movable, and the space can be expanded or segmented as new opportunities arise.

The facility also features 30 open-office workstations, allowing the team to expand and evolve as new talent joins.

A Magnet for Talent—and Ideas

Covia chose Concord as the home of the CIC for strategic reasons. The region’s robust academic and research community, central location and strong quality of life make it ideal for attracting and retaining top talent.

“Without people, this is just an expensive building full of paperweights,” Schilling said. “Innovation is a people business. Having the right people here is critical.”

The center will also support Covia’s internship and workforce development efforts, offering hands-on experience to students and early-career scientists at a time when funding cuts are limiting opportunities in academic research.

“Part of our responsibility is to help train the next generation of scientists and engineers,” Marcely noted. “And this center gives us the ability to do that.”

Investing in a Sustainable Future

While many of the CIC’s projects are confidential, sustainability is a clear priority. “We want to help our customers achieve their sustainability targets—and their customers’ goals too,” said Marcely. “That’s a core reason why this center exists.”

Consider examples from Covia’s product portfolio:

• MINEX® ST nepheline syenite fillers for industrial coatings enhance performance, safety and efficiency and are free of crystalline silica.
• CRISTOBALEX™ ultrawhite reflective filler adds value to roof coatings by helping to cool buildings and reduce energy costs.

Similarly, many of the innovations being developed at the CIC are designed to help customers meet their environmental, health and safety goals.

Looking Ahead

With a significant investment in construction, equipment and talent, the CIC represents more than a facility; it’s also a symbol of Covia’s future. It’s a space for turning customer insights into actionable solutions, for building stronger partnerships and for bringing new ideas to life faster.

As we prepare for the grand opening and a customer innovation day later this year, we’re already seeing the value this center brings to our customers and our teams. And we’re just getting started.

Ready to Collaborate?

Have a challenge you’d like to solve—or a new opportunity you’re exploring? Get in touch. We’re always ready to roll up our sleeves and see what’s possible, together.

Bio:
Lina Klebanov oversees corporate social responsibility, philanthropic programs, employee engagement, and strategic partnerships for TCS in North America. She’s been guiding the company’s cross-sector efforts to advance equitable digital opportunity since 2016. 

Program Timeline 

• Tata Consultancy Services recently celebrated 15 years of enhancing STEM education and serving youth through its Go Innovate Together (goIT™) initiative
• The program started in Milford, Ohio in 2009, when TCS staff created a summer camp experience to get students interested in computer science and prepare them for careers in the field.
• Today, TCS goIT includes camps, workshops, curricula for classrooms and after-school programs, and competitions for students.
• goIT offers lessons on AI fundamentals, machine learning, and Generative AI (Gen AI).
• TCS helps students make the most of these technologies responsibly by providing training modules to educators so they can encourage students to incorporate AI into the innovation concepts they develop through the goIT program, to help them stay ahead of the curve.
• To date, goIT has reached more than 350,000 students around the world with skill-building opportunities. The program enables students to develop and apply acquired tech knowledge and skills to real-world problems, such as the challenges defined by the United Nations 2030 Sustainable Development Agenda.

Smiles. Big, beaming smiles and the sparkling eyes that accompany them when students present their innovations to judges from the stage. This is the first thing I think about when I hear, “goIT.” 

TCS’ Go Innovate Together (goIT™) program is an innovation and career readiness program for students aged 6-17. It’s also a smile maker. 

Whether they access the program through families, a teacher or a nonprofit’s after-school program, students go through the experience joyfully, discovering new perspectives and previously undiscovered talents. Learning as much about the tech world as they do about themselves, students experience  pure joy with the program. Their learning processes and innovations may all be different, but their radiant happiness and confidence is always a constant at program culminations, competitions where they “pitch” their ideas for a chance to win feedback, medals, mentoring opportunities and more.

goIT exposes students across North America to technologies such as AI that are rapidly changing the world.  It also demonstrates how tech can be used for positive social and environmental impact, providing students with relevant skills and the mindsets needed to pursue careers in STEM fields. Helping educators cover several timely AI tech pathways, goIT does not shy away from either new technologies or challenging global social and environmental issues. 

Created in 2009, goIT was launched when a group of TCS associates in Milford, Ohio, recognized that there weren’t enough skilled candidates for the jobs  in their office. Motivated to change that, they started goIT as a small summer camp experience for a few dozen students in the Cincinnati area. Attendees learned how to code robots to perform basic tasks from enthusiastic IT experts who spent three days as volunteer camp facilitators, inspiring them to pursue future careers in technology. Instantly, they knew what they had was special, but had no idea they were starting a movement.

It was good timing.

As reported by research firm Gartner, IT jobs had started to morph into four different domains around that time:

1. Technology Infrastructure and Services, emphasizing technical knowledge around how different technologies work
2. Information Design and Management, focused more on business-specific knowledge
3. Process Design and Management, which balances business knowledge with a deep understanding of core processes across industry sectors
4. Relationship and Sourcing Management, balancing business and core process knowledge with the ability to excel in negotiations and relationship management

Further, in 2009, the National Science Foundation reported that men outnumbered women 3 to 1 in all sectors of science and engineering careers in the US, and women were significantly underrepresented in both STEM degrees and jobs in across the country. Researchers studying the gap in STEM jobs between the genders noted that it got smaller with increases in educational attainment. Yet women held significantly fewer STEM degrees compared with men, and fewer women than men with STEM undergraduate degrees actually ended up in STEM jobs. 

In the years following goIT’s first summer camp, led by a TCS associate, Brian Purvis, we took the program across the US, and, in 2014, across the border to Canada. By 2020, we had expanded goIT with the help of fully engaged, compassionate employee volunteers. Brian, for instance, served as a subject matter expert for the development of goIT’s Internet of Things curriculum, known as a “tech pathway.” We also collaborated with other tech experts to develop more offerings as we laid the foundation for a meaningful global program. The growth of the program skyrocketed,  expanding from two to 48 countries  from 2020–2024. Today, goIT has reached more than 350,000 students, with 49% of participants being girls and approximately 75% representing ethnic minorities.

In goIT programs, these students develop and apply knowledge and skills such as AI, the Internet of Things (IoT), and app design to create solutions to real-world problems. And they do so with heart and purpose. Today, goIT engages female and minority K-12 students as a program priority, because we’re confident that a fun and meaningful experience with technology can stimulate girls’ interest in STEM education and careers—and that goIT can instill the confidence they need to pursue them.

TCS’ investments in STEM education programs—with the help of program leaders, the generous volunteers who give of their time and expertise, and thousands of teacher and student participants—are creating positive change. In addition, these programs will help tech employers benefit from the perspectives of individuals from underrepresented groups.

The new goIT GenAI tech pathway—the educator support we launched this year to teach students about Generative AI—was particularly timely. I can’t think of a better way for TCS to celebrate 15 years of goIT and  launch the program’s next 15 years. 

As I look back, some of my favorite goIT memories include:

• Seeing smiles on the faces of the 75% female goIT Live group in our 2024 Honolulu Schools program.
• Judging the 10th annual Toronto District School Board’s 2023–2024 goIT program culmination, which featured 250 K-12 innovators and their big dreams for sustainable development
• The year that astronaut Nicole Stott encouraged youth to enter the goIT Global Innovator of the Year competition as “crew members, not passengers” on spaceship Earth
• The three consecutive years that the goIT Global Innovator of the Year was a girl or team of girls
  • I loved celebrating 14-year-old Laura F. (2022–2023), 13-year-old Casey S. 2023–2024), and seventh graders Elizabeth and Eloise (2024-2025) when they were recognized
• The day I learned that a goIT alumnus took the confidence he gained innovating in the program to do something quite extraordinary—build his own, motorized prosthetic hand.

goIT has proven itself to have the relevance, stamina, credibility and longevity to continue for many more years. That is definitely a good thing because there is so much more work to do as the Age of Intelligence advances and changes everything we know about life and work. 

Get involved with goIT early and often. Visit https://on.tcs.com/goIT-AMERS to explore the program’s offerings or send a note of interest to northamerica.csr@tcs.com to get started.

FRANKFURT, Germany, November 4, 2025 /3BL/ – In response to rising global health needs and growing strain on public health systems, Direct Relief has opened a new European headquarters to enhance its ability to deliver essential medical resources to communities facing urgent health challenges.

“This expansion reflects Direct Relief’s commitment to addressing urgent health needs wherever they arise,” said Amy Weaver, CEO of Direct Relief. “Establishing a presence in Europe enables greater collaboration and helps ensure that critical medical resources reach the people and places that need them most—quickly and reliably.”

The new European headquarters, based in Frankfurt and legally registered in Germany as Direct Relief gGmbH, will serve as a logistics and partnership hub, building on long-standing collaborations with European pharmaceutical and medical product manufacturers.

“Frankfurt is proud to welcome Direct Relief as part of our international community,” said Eileen O’Sullivan, Deputy Mayor for International Affairs of the City of Frankfurt. “Establishing their European headquarters here strengthens Frankfurt’s role as a global hub for collaboration and humanitarian engagement and contributes to strengthening democracy through international solidarity.”

Over the past decade, Direct Relief has delivered more than $16 billion USD in medical aid throughout Europe and around the world. Roughly a quarter of the medicines Direct Relief delivers worldwide originate in Europe, supported by partnerships with leading European companies.

“We’re grateful to Direct Relief for their longstanding partnership and look forward to supporting and working with them as they expand their important work,” said Bayer AG Chief Executive Officer Bill Anderson. “Bayer’s mission is Health for all, Hunger for none. And we see organizations like Direct Relief as vital partners in achieving that mission”

As health systems face mounting pressure from conflict, climate-related disasters, and economic instability, the ability to deliver targeted, high-impact humanitarian medical aid has become increasingly vital.

“Promoting health equity is at the heart of our sustainability efforts,” said Shashank Deshpande, Chairman of the Board of Managing Directors at Boehringer Ingelheim. “Direct Relief’s expansion in Europe strengthens global health systems and ensures critical care reaches underserved communities worldwide. We are proud to support their mission and to help deliver sustainable health solutions where they are needed most.”

Europe has been integral to Direct Relief’s humanitarian assistance to Ukraine, which has surpassed $2 billion USD in medical aid since the war began in 2022.

“Direct Relief has been consistently supporting Ukraine’s healthcare system throughout the war,” said Viktor Liashko, Ukraine’s Minister of Health. “ This assistance is coordinated with the Ministry of Health, ensuring that resources are directed where they are needed most. We highly value this partnership, which saves Ukrainian lives and strengthens the resilience of healthcare services. In the most challenging moments — when hospitals operate under shelling, when the power goes out but doctors continue treating patients — the support of Direct Relief is especially tangible. It stands as an example of effective international solidarity, embodied in concrete results: modern equipment, medicines, backup power systems, and the development of rehabilitation and mental health services.”

Originally published on DICK’S Sporting Goods Sideline Report

Golf Galaxy, DICK’S House of Sport and Youth on Course are growing the game of golf, supporting youth development and breaking down financial barriers to the game with a partnership that gives youth members access to discounted simulator rental fees, a complementary lesson, special in-store events and more. This partnership spans all current and future Golf Galaxy and DICK’S House of Sport stores and comes off the heels of a successful 25 store pilot program at select Golf Galaxy locations, which saw over 2,000 hours in simulator rental time from Youth on Course members this summer.

This newly forged relationship marks the first time ever that members will have access to indoor simulator opportunities and professional golf instruction. With this, Golf Galaxy and House of Sport are offering members access to lessons and coaching, an essential next step in their golf development journey.

“The game of golf is experiencing such great momentum, with participation growing and more ways to enjoy the game than ever before,” said Ryan Bogosta, Vice President – Golf Galaxy. “At Golf Galaxy and DICK’S House of Sport, we are in a unique position to contribute to the growth of the game, especially with the next generation of golfers. We love the work Youth on Course is doing to make this amazing game more accessible to young athletes everywhere, and we are thrilled to be partnering with them. Through this relationship, we have the opportunity to impact tens of thousands of young golfers across the country and make the game even more inclusive.”

“We are thrilled to partner with Golf Galaxy and DICK’S House of Sport to launch a new pathway for our members to play, learn, and develop in the sport year-round,” said Michael Lowe, Head of Impact at Youth on Course. “By providing access to instruction and indoor facilities, we’re removing another barrier and ensuring that every young person, regardless of background, can continue building their skills and confidence in an environment built to support them.”

As of today, Youth on Course members can receive exclusive in-store benefits at any Golf Galaxy and DICK’S House of Sport store. Those include one free golf lesson from a PGA Teaching Professional, simulator rentals for only $5 per hour, and access to special in-store events. To redeem these benefits, Youth on Course members must:

• Create or log into a DICK’S Sporting Goods Scorecard account
• Book the lesson and/or simulator rental using Game Time Booking for Golf Galaxy and DICK’S House of Sport
• Bring a valid Youth on Course membership card (via the app or printed) for check-in

There are currently over 110 Golf Galaxy stores and soon-to-be 35 DICK’S House of Sport locations across the U.S.

In the October 24, 2025 episode of “The CMO Whisperer,” podcast host Steve Olenski reconnects with Alan Bethke, SVP of Marketing at Subaru of America, Inc., for a compelling “round two” interview which builds upon their previous talk about the “Love” advertising campaign—and welcomes Matt Bershadker, President and CEO of the ASPCA® (The American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals®) for a powerful conversation about authenticity in marketing and meaningful corporate partnerships.

Their discussion touches on subjects ranging from how to connect with the right partners, how Subaru’s values shape our corporate DNA, the importance of customer service and tracking the digital customer journey, and of course how to help support pet adoptions for the animals most in need.

The wide-ranging interview is sure to make listeners think and smile, and even offers a glimpse into the future of Subaru marketing.

The CMO Whisperer Podcast, hosted by former Forbes writer Steve Olenski, is dedicated to those who keep it real in and out of the world of marketing.

CHARLOTTE, N.C., November 4, 2025 /3BL/ – The Environmental Education Initiative today announced the five 2025-2026 recipients of The National Environmental Education Foundation (NEEF) Greening STEM Grant. The Environmental Education Initiative by Discovery Education with NEEF and other partners is a first-of-its-kind program designed to engage students in environmental science, empower them to make informed decisions for healthy environments, and promote civic engagement. Discovery Education is the maker of essential PreK-12 learning solutions used in classrooms around the world.

The Greening STEM Grants support programs that infuse environmental science and resources into school curriculum focused on student-directed investigations of relevant topics of research, local environmental issues, or issues impacting local public lands.

“Through these grants, we seek to challenge formal and nonformal educators to design and deliver STEM programming that engages youth in place-based learning,” said Robert Sendrey, program director for environmental education at NEEF. “We also hope to empower educators to build a culture that values using the environment as a context for improving student learning and achievement.”

Projects that actively involved students in citizen/community science or environmental monitoring during the 2025–2026 school year were especially highlighted, reflecting the value of experiential, place-based STEM education. The following projects have been selected to receive up to $7,000 each in STEM grant funding:

Growing Green
Fairfield County School District in Winnsboro, South Carolina

The “Growing Green” project is a student-led greenhouse initiative in Winnsboro, South Carolina, focused on hands-on environmental STEM learning for Grades 5-6. The project involves 80 students and aims to enhance 21st-century skills through immersive learning of earth and life sciences. Instructional strategies integrate Greening STEM methods, including project-based and community-based approaches. Project partners include Fairfield Career and Technology Center, Sandhill Research and Education Center, and various other stakeholders.

Exploring Earth & Beyond: Connecting Local Learning to the Cosmos
Fairfield County School District in Winnsboro, South Carolina

During this interdisciplinary project for Grades 5-6, approximately 100 students will explore concepts related to Earth’s place in the universe, light and shadows, and gravitational force through place-based investigations, moon phase journals, digital and 3D scale model building, and interactive science labs using real data. The project will culminate with a field trip to the South Carolina State Museum Planetarium in Columbia, South Carolina, where students will participate in a full-dome immersive planetarium show and interact with museum exhibits that reinforce classroom learning. Partners include the South Carolina State Museum Planetarium, local STEM professionals, and community members.

School Garden
R.E. Davis College Preparatory Academy in Sumter, South Carolina

This project involves a school garden initiative that integrates STEM classes and an after-school gardening club. The anticipated impact includes teaching over 20 students gardening skills in small spaces. Instructional strategies involve student involvement, community support, and curriculum integration, including project-based learning and the use of a Garden STEM science curriculum. Local partners like the Clemson University Cooperative Extension and Sumter County Master Gardeners Association will support gardening projects and educational activities. Additionally, the project will task students with designing robots that could help improve classroom learning while enhancing productivity in the school garden.

Bengal Biodiesel
Blythewood High School, Richland School District Two in Blythewood, South Carolina

The Bengal Biodiesel program at Blythewood High School recycles cooking oil into biodiesel for school transport and produces hand soap from glycerin waste. Funding for this project will help expand the existing biodiesel program while partnering with organizations for student learning experiences and training students to become leaders in sustainability. Approximately 40 students will gain marketable skills and over 100 hours of hands-on experience through the program, which involves producing biodiesel for school buses. The program has partnered with organizations such as the Palmetto Clean Fuels Coalition, South Carolina Energy Office, and Green Energy Biofuel to provide internships, industry-standard procedures, and audits to enhance the student experience.

Free Home Green Team
Free Home Elementary School in Canton, Georgia

The “Free Home Green Team” project at Free Home Elementary School aims to implement a Greening STEM project involving school-wide recycling and STEM activities to reduce their carbon footprint, expand existing STEM programs, and engage 300 students in real-time environmental impact awareness. The project includes instructional strategies focusing on real-world conservation, data collection, and hands-on experiences with the school’s STEM Cart, which has developmentally appropriate STEM games and activity kits for each grade level. Project partners include Free Home Elementary’s Green School Coordinator—who is responsible for showing students which materials are acceptable to recycle at bins located around campus—and the local PTA, which will help achieve project goals of reducing plastic use, lowering energy costs, and increasing community engagement.

The funding recipients were selected from among the members of the Discovery Educator Network, or DEN. A global community of education professionals, the DEN connects members across school systems and around the world through social media, virtual conferences, and in-person events, fostering valuable idea sharing and inspiration. This year, the DEN is celebrating 20 years of connecting educators to their most valuable resource: each other.

“Research shows that students thrive when classroom lessons are engaging and connected to the broader world. These real-world connections not only strengthen critical thinking but also boost academic achievement. We’re proud to celebrate each of the STEM Grant recipients for their innovative work in expanding the learning beyond the classroom,” said Catherine Dunlop, Senior Vice President of Corporate Partnerships at Discovery Education. “Together with NEEF, we’re excited to support these transformative projects and watch them come to life.”

For more information about Discovery Education’s award-winning digital resources and professional learning solutions, visit www.discoveryeducation.com, and stay connected with Discovery Education on social media through LinkedIn, Instagram, TikTok, and Facebook.

To access Environmental Education Initiative resources, visit environmentaleducationinitiative.discoveryeducation.com. Users of Discovery Education Experience can find these resources on the Environmental Education Initiative channel.

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About NEEF
The National Environmental Education Foundation (NEEF) is the nation’s leading organization in lifelong environmental learning, creating opportunities for people to experience and learn about the environment in ways that improve their lives and the health of the planet. Congressionally chartered in 1990, NEEF is a non-partisan, non-advocacy organization working to make the environment more accessible, relevant, and connected to people’s daily lives.

Learn more at NEEFusa.org—or follow NEEF on Facebook (Facebook.com/NEEFusa) and on Twitter at @NEEFusa.

About Discovery Education 
Discovery Education is the worldwide edtech leader whose state-of-the-art, PreK-12, digital solutions help educators engage all students and support higher academic achievement. Through award-winning multimedia content, instructional supports, and innovative classroom tools that are effective, engaging, and easy to use, Discovery Education helps educators deliver powerful learning experiences. Discovery Education serves approximately 4.5 million educators and 45 million students worldwide, and its resources are accessed in over 100 countries and territories. Through partnerships with districts, states, and trusted organizations, Discovery Education empowers teachers with essential edtech solutions that inspire curiosity, build confidence, and accelerate learning. Learn more at www.discoveryeducation.com.

Contacts
Amy Skalmusky
National Environmental Education Foundation
Email: askalmusky@neefusa.org

Grace Maliska
Discovery Education
Email: gmaliska@discoveryed.com

Public policies are central factors in determining healthcare interventions and access to medicines and treatment. Viatris leverages our global experiences, scientific expertise and operations knowledge to support policymakers in identifying policies that advance access to quality medicines and build systems that sustain medicine availability while minimizing unintended consequences.

Below are some examples from the work in our global policy priorities: advance access to quality medicines; strengthen resilient, global supply chains; and build future access.

Providing Access to Generic Medicines

Viatris’ deep portfolio of generic medicines includes complex and branded generics. These products work in the same way
and provide the same clinical benefits as their brand-name counterparts and may cost less, providing patients and the healthcare system important savings and medicine options which we believe are essential to making healthcare accessible.

With healthcare budgets increasingly stretched thin, governments play a key role in establishing a well-functioning legal, regulatory and market system that enables generic and biosimilar competition to flourish for the benefit for patient access.

Healthy off-patent competition is also critical to patient access. For example, in the next five years, more than 250 medicine patents will expire in the U.K., generating prospective savings to the National Health Service (NHS) – based on current market level of competition in generics and biosimilars – of approximately £18 billion. This is on top of the annual savings of £15 billion from already expired patented products.

Advancing Access to Quality Medicines

In 2024, Viatris worked to advance access in many ways, including the following:

• Engaged with U.S. policymakers to provide insights on generic drug market economics, the value of global supply chains and opportunities to enhance supply resiliency. Policies important to patients were ultimately included in Congressional drug shortage proposals, including provisions such as access-supporting changes to the Medicaid Generics Penalty.
• Collaborated with Foreign Policy and partners at the 2024 World Health Assembly in Geneva to host the FP Health Forum, a panel emphasizing that individuals
  are more than their health conditions and highlighting the need for a holistic approach to prevention, access and care throughout their lives.
• Supported the British Generic Manufacturers Association in collaborating with the Medicines and Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency (MHRA), to devise a solution for a backlog of pending market authorization applications, which was delaying medicines from reaching the market. MHRA was then able to successfully clear the backlog of more than 1,000 pending applications, improving access for patients.
• Led efforts to include language in the State, Foreign Operations, and Related Programs (SFOPS) Appropriations legislation to expand and incentivize regional manufacturing investment to support the PEPFAR program and the fight against HIV/AIDS.
• Helped arrange multistakeholder discussions in Sweden to address policy challenges associated with access to antibiotics and promoted legislation and regulatory processes to foster sustainable market conditions conducive to access.
• Collaborated with Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency and the Ministry of Health and Welfare to advocate for changes in the 2024 revision of Korea’s tuberculosis treatment guidelines, resulting in improved access to key treatments for nearly all patients in Korea with drug-resistant TB.

• Developed, in partnership with the Unified Procurement Authority (UPA) in Egypt, the Pharmaceutical Procurement and Resource Management Program to improve supply chain efficiencies. This program aims to increase the availability of cardiovascular and pain products in government hospitals and expand access for low-income patients.

  Strengthening Resilient Global Supply

  A global supply chain with facilities across continents is essential for maintaining access to medicine. As stated earlier, no country can make every medicine people need, and no medicine is made in every country. Inputs are sourced globally, produced at scale by experts and securely transported to hospitals and pharmacies worldwide.

  In 2024, Viatris worked to ensure the resiliency of this global supply chain by supporting the publication of a report from Charles River Associates and the U.S. Chamber of Commerce to assess how localization policies are affecting equitable access to medicines. The report considered comprehensive solutions to address access barriers including strengthening healthcare systems, fostering regional collaboration, improving security of supply and aligning resources with policies that improve the resiliency of the global supply chain. “Driving Equitable Access to Health Products and Technologies” has been presented to healthcare system leaders around the globe.

Other examples of Viatris’ work in this area in 2024 included the following:

• Viatris is a member of the EU Critical Medicines Alliance, a European Commission initiative to strengthen the security of medicine supply across the EU. With approximately half of the molecules on the Alliance’s critical medicines list in
  our portfolio – spanning anti-infectives, cardiovascular and metabolic, and CNS therapies – Viatris plays a pivotal role. We bring proven expertise to the table and are actively driving discussions on supply chain diversification, international cooperation and long-term resilience to safeguard patient access across Europe.
• Contributed to two white papers published by AmCham and Medicines for Europe on the root causes of shortages and the importance of a resilient global supply chain. Together, these papers helped inform the positioning of the British Generic Manufacturers Association Manifesto for Building a Resilient UK Medicines Industry, which advocates for supportive market conditions that enable medicine affordability and healthcare sustainability.
• As a Canadian Pharmaceutical Association (CGPA) member, Viatris actively engaged with a CGPA working group which has partnered with Health Canada, a federal department, to address and detect pharmaceutical shortages and supply chain challenges to increase medication availability for Canadians.
• Working alongside the U.S. Pharmacopeia (USP), Viatris helped develop a benchmark standard for supply chain resiliency for injectable medicines. This partnership will establish metrics that encourage adoption of supply chain resiliency standards to mitigate drug shortages and create an evidence-based benchmark tool that allows purchasers of pharmaceuticals to incorporate manufacturer supply chain resiliency measurements into their decision making.
• Led a U.S. Congressional advocacy campaign to educate and
  inform policymakers on the importance of a global pharmaceutical supply chain for supply resiliency. As a result, policy changes to support patients’ uninterrupted access to globally sourced essential medicines were included in key legislation, such as the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA).

Building Future Access

While Viatris’ policy efforts generally focus on advancing access to existing medicines, we also focus on how to build pathways for future access. As health needs continue to evolve, people need new options, whether improvements to existing medicines or novel therapeutics. This could include changes to how the medicine is administered, or to make the medicine last longer, or to combine multiple medicines in a single pill. The opportunities to leverage existing medicines to better address unmet needs are vast and are likely to accelerate as technology advances.

Proper regulatory pathways are needed to enable timely access for patients. Most countries do not currently have regulatory
and market pathways to recognize improved versions of existing medicines. And even if a regulatory pathway exists, market policies need to support the ability for these medicines to compete and demonstrate value – improved versions of medicines are unlikely to reach the market if procurement or dispensing policies treat them as straightforward generic versions of the original medicine.

Viatris in 2024 continued advocating for dedicated abbreviated regulatory pathways for improvements to existing medicines and regulatory frameworks that recognize improvements to existing medicines as a separate category of innovation with equivalent IP protection. In Canada, for example, Viatris engaged in Patented Medicine Prices Review Board (PMPRB) consultations to advocate for a balanced framework that fosters innovation while enabling access. Our comprehensive submissions and collaborations with stakeholders have led to policy changes that create a more predictable and sustainable environment for introducing innovative therapies in Canada.

As the world is changing, staying close to broader shifts at a global scale helps Viatris to consider how policy solutions may also need to adapt for continued access in the future. These shifts include the growing effects of climate change, trade tensions, ongoing conflicts and political shifts in power in the U.S. and elsewhere. Creating the policy environment for access to continue advancing in this shifting landscape is a focus area for Viatris’ policy efforts as we move into 2025 and beyond.

With fiscal space constrained and policymakers facing difficult choices, Viatris engages with policymakers to share learnings and highlight opportunities for a more value-based approach to healthcare financing. Examples of this work include:

• With the Board of the Generic Association in Hungary, Viatris engaged in consultations with the Hungarian government to discuss the implications that unsustainable pricing policies can have on patient access. These efforts helped lead to the government reversing a claw-back obligation to its original rate amending their policy, helping to foster sustainable market conditions and maintain access to off-patent medicines.
• Viatris sponsored a panel in Brazil during the B20 Event on Advancing Healthcare in Latin America. The event included high-level discussions on healthcare advancements in the region, with a focus on value-based healthcare and the socioeconomic burden of diseases.
• In collaboration with the Association of Pharmaceutical Companies in Switzerland, Viatris played a key role in driving the “Yes to Medical Supply Security” initiative that advocates for access to the approximately 600 medicines unavailable to Swiss patients.
• At the Labour Party Conference in the U.K., Viatris co-hosted a roundtable discussion with the Fabian Society about cost saving strategies for the National Health Service and future healthcare planning.

Collaborating with IGBA to Promote Access to Medicines

Viatris works closely with the International Generic and Biosimilar Medicines Association (IGBA) at all levels to ensure targeted, consistent engagement and messaging on the need for resilient global supply chains, their criticality for sustainable access as well as the importance of high-quality generic medicines.

Viatris helped enable the renewal process with WHO for IGBA’s “non-state actor” status as well as IGBA’s regular contributions to ongoing WHO technical advisory groups. Viatris has worked with IGBA to contribute to the World Trade Organization – World Intellectual Property Organization capacity building executive training programs on trade, intellectual property and global public health for government officials from low- and middle-income countries – supporting the enhancement of their regulatory systems. Viatris is the founding chair of the IGBA International External Engagement Committee ensuring continued momentum on this important work.

In addition, Viatris supports IGBA’s participation in the Executive Program which was launched as part of the collaboration between the WIPO Academy and the WTO Institute of Training and Technical Cooperation in Geneva, Switzerland. This global training initiative provides valuable technical assistance to senior government officials with a focus on the participation of representatives from low- and middle-income countries.

Working for Regulatory Harmonization

Working to create access to medicine for people globally involves working closely with regulatory authorities around the world. Through our Global Regulatory Affairs team, Viatris works to achieve timely health authority approvals. The company helps ensure the compliance of our existing marketing authorizations, labeling and promotional materials and that they are optimized for value throughout a product’s lifecycle. In 2024, highlights of this work included the following:

• Viatris provided technical support to the Indian Pharmacopeia Commission (IPC) in finalizing some of the IPC’s General Chapters, ARVs, COVID-19 related and hepatitis C product-related monographs, as well as toxicological-specific monographs. These contributions have helped ensure that quality product is continuously supplied to patients in India. IPC recognized Viatris’ contributions as a member of the Expert Working Group by publishing an Indian Pharmacopeia Addendum which went into effect in July 2024.
• In Malaysia, we collaborated with the local health authority to file Xafariv (rivaroxaban) as the first generic under the Facilitated Review Pathway (FRP), leveraging the approval of another stringent regulatory authority (SRA). The collaborative approach led to a streamlined submission process, reduced review time, enhanced understanding of local regulations and a strong working relationship with the health authority.
• As a member of the Canadian Generic Pharmaceutical Association’s (CGPA) Scientific Affairs Committee, Viatris is leveraging our expertise as the vice- chair of the Complex Molecules Working Group to develop new guidance to share with the regulator Health Canada for complex generics.

View the full Viatris 2024 Sustainability Report.