Tag: 3BL

Chesterfield’s Wesco Anixter is funding a new art project that has enabled young people in Bolsover to turn their special interests and imaginations into digital artwork, which will be projected inside Bolsover Castle next month. This sponsorship is made possible by Wesco Cares, the company’s corporate philanthropic program that aims to support communities where employees live, work and deliver.

The art piece, titled Our Digital Tapestry, was commissioned by Junction Arts and will feature at this year’s Bright Winter Nights event. The piece showcases the ideas and inspiration of students from Stubbin Wood School and families attending Neurohub, a welcoming local space for neurodivergent youth.

Over eight workshops, 43 young participants collaborated with Junction Arts to create visuals using light drawing photography, surreal collages, and acetate drawings. At the same time, sound artist Tim Baker led audio sessions with Stubbin Wood students, blending traditional instruments like drums and guitars with creative sound-makers such as rice tubes, foil, and rain sticks to explore tone, tempo and melody. Visual artist Will Lindley then transformed these creative outputs into Our Digital Tapestry, a digital animation celebrating young people’s passions and identities, which will be projected at Bolsover Castle’s Riding School.

Our Digital Tapestry will be one of three new artworks at this year’s Bright Winter Nights event. Now in its third year, the Junction Arts event showcases unheard voices through large-scale projections, soundscapes, and interactive artworks, transforming the castle into a glowing canvas of community spirit and creativity.

This year’s theme, “Hear My Voice,” ensures that all artworks are co-created with young people from Bolsover, including students from Shirebrook Academy and members of Boza Youth.

Junction Arts Project Manager Kylie North said: “Our Digital Tapestry is a youth-led animation professionally produced to create a beautiful and immersive film for The Riding School at Bolsover Castle. Visitors will experience artwork that stimulates the senses through sight and sound.”

“We are proud to support our local community by sponsoring Bright Winter Nights, an amazing event that celebrates Bolsover’s history and its future, added Sophie Whitfield, Sustainability Leader EES EMEA from Wesco Anixter. “The young people involved have been incredible, sharing their creativity and interests, which form the heart of this exciting new artwork. We are excited to see it displayed next month.”

Bright Winter Nights will take place on Thursday 27 and Friday 28 November, 4.30 p.m.to 7.30 p.m., with a dedicated quiet session from 4.30 p.m. to 5.00 p.m.. Tickets cost £3 for adults, £2 for children and under 5s are free. Tickets are on sale now and can be purchased on the English Heritage website.

Notes to Editors 

About Wesco Anixter

Wesco International (NYSE: WCC) builds, connects, powers and protects the world. Headquartered in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, Wesco is a FORTUNE 500® company with more than $22 billion in annual sales and a leading provider of business-to-business distribution, logistics services and supply chain solutions. Wesco offers a best-in-class product and services portfolio of Electrical and Electronic Solutions, Communications and Security Solutions, and Utility and Broadband Solutions. The Company employs approximately 20,000 people, partners with the industry’s premier suppliers, and serves thousands of customers around the world. With millions of products, end-to-end supply chain services, and leading digital capabilities, Wesco provides innovative solutions to meet customer needs across commercial and industrial businesses, contractors, government agencies, educational institutions, telecommunications providers, and utilities. Wesco operates nearly 800 branches, warehouses and sales offices in more than 50 countries, providing a local presence for customers and a global network to serve multi-location businesses and global corporations.

About Junction Arts

Junction Arts is one of the UK’s longest-running community arts charities, established in 1976, it will celebrate its 50^th birthday next year. They help communities facing social barriers to create a better future through the arts. The charity’s festivals, workshops, and events give people the opportunity to be creative, learn new skills, and build stronger communities.

About Brights Winter Nights

Launched in 2023 by Junction Arts to celebrate 30 years of the Bolsover Lantern Parade, Bright Winter Nights has quickly become a highlight of the winter calendar. Each year, the show combines large-scale projections, soundscapes, and interactive artworks to transform the castle into a glowing canvas of community spirit and creativity.

PHILADELPHIA, December 1, 2025 /3BL/ – The William Penn Foundation (WPF), in partnership with Comcast, Connelly Foundation, Future Standard, M&T Bank, and the Philadelphia Foundation, today announced $8.35 million in funding to 19 nonprofit organizations helping individuals across the Philadelphia region access workforce training and obtain quality jobs. The philanthropic support from a coalition of six funders will directly benefit more than 4,100 jobseekers and engage 116 employers to ensure that training programs meet local labor market needs and advance inclusive hiring practices for all.

“As the Foundation seeks to expand access to opportunities in our region, one way we do that is by helping to remove the obstacles that prevent Philadelphians from getting the skills they need to land and keep better paying jobs and achieve greater economic mobility for themselves and their families,” said Shawn McCaney, Executive Director of the William Penn Foundation. “With this set of 19 grants, training programs and employers can offer a range of supports that help participants complete training and connect to employment.”

The awards announced today are part of a previously announced $20 million public-private investment that will improve employment and economic mobility in the Greater Philadelphia region. In April, Mayor Cherelle Parker announced a $10 million commitment from the City of Philadelphia to support the City College for Municipal Employment. The William Penn Foundation, with lead support from Comcast, established a coalition of local funders to match the city’s investment. Today’s awards deploy this funding to local organizations whose work will help tackle Philadelphia’s low economic mobility rates through data-driven approaches that remove barriers to employment and expand opportunities. Additional funds are supporting the Good Jobs Challenge led by Philadelphia Works.

The collaborative approach demonstrated by this combination of investments  was informed by research from Harvard Professor Raj Chetty and Opportunity Insights, which shows that when civic, business, and community leaders work together, a generation’s economic mobility improves.

“This is more than an investment in workforce training, it’s an investment in people,” said Dalila Wilson-Scott, EVP and Chief Impact & Inclusion Officer, Comcast Corporation and President, Comcast NBCUniversal Foundation.

Together with partners like the William Penn Foundation, we are creating a future where every Philadelphian – regardless of zip code – can access the support, training, and opportunity they need to succeed in family-sustaining careers, including high-growth fields like technology and digital solutions.

Dalila Wilson-Scott
EVP and Chief Impact & Inclusion Officer,Comcast Corporation and President
Comcast NBCUniversal Foundation

The grants announced today support a range of strategies that combine paid, hands-on career training with wraparound support services such as childcare assistance, transportation supports, flexible financial stipends, and case management.

Based on recent research and a regional market analysis from Pew and Brookings Institute, the coalition has prioritized funding for programs in three regional sectors with growth opportunity for quality jobs: enterprise digital solutions, materials machining and fabrication, and biomedical and life sciences.

The 19 organizations that will receive funding and provide access to workforce training services are listed below:

• Big Picture Alliance will provide a variety of wraparound services, including transportation, training stipends, and credential costs for participants in their Media Futures pre-apprenticeship program, which trains youth in multimedia production.
• Chester County Opportunities Industrialization Center will provide supportive services, including case management, childcare assistance and transportation for participants in their workforce reintegration and adult education programs.
• Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia will provide stipends, transportation assistance, professional clothing, and emergency funds for trainees in their phlebotomy training and Family & Visitor Services training programs.
• Drexel University will provide transportation and trainee stipends for their Community Health Worker training program led by the Center for Nonviolence and Social Justice.
• Fair Chance Institute Inc will facilitate learning cohorts for Philadelphia employers to understand how their practices create barriers to employment for people who have criminal convictions.
• JEVS Human Services will provide employment coaching, tuition assistance, transportation support, and licensing fees for participants in their healthcare training program housed at Orleans Technical College.
• Opportunities Industrialization Center Inc. (OIC) will provide integrated supportive services through a Workforce Hub model for participants in their training programs.
• Per Scholas Inc. will provide learning support resources for their cybersecurity and software engineering programs, including case management, coaching, and financial assistance through a zero-percent loan program.
• Phase 3 Training Corporation will provide supportive services connected to their apprenticeship readiness training for energy-focused construction careers.
• Philabundance will provide training stipends and mental health supports for trainees in their Philabundance Community Kitchen (PCK) workforce development program.
• Sustainable Business Education Initiative Inc. will enable Triple Bottom Brewing to provide training stipends, transportation assistance, and uniforms for apprentices in the Future of Service Apprenticeship program.
• Temple University – Lewis Katz School of Medicine’s Biomedical Uplift for Innovation in Local Development program (BUILD Philly) will provide participant stipends as well as wellness and job readiness coaching to training participants.
• University City District will provide wage support, housing assistance, and post-placement services for alumni employed at Penn Medicine.
• Variety the Children’s Charity of the Delaware Valley will provide stipends for Small Group Employment participants as well as support through a Transition Specialist, who works to place participants in employment after they complete training.
• Walt McGill Foundation Inc. will enable Construction Apprentice Preparatory Program (CAPP) to provide transportation and case management to program participants to increase their training completion and success with transitions into building trades apprenticeships.
• Welcoming Center for New Pennsylvanians will provide contextualized English instruction, digital skills training, American workplace soft skills development, industry-specific education, and individualized career navigation and coaching for three of their signature workforce development programs.
• Wistar Institute of Anatomy and Biology will provide training program participants with stipends, tuition support, and transportation assistance.
• Youth Empowerment for Advancement Hangout will provide training stipends, transportation support, and flexible funding to address basic needs for training program participants.
• YouthBuild Philadelphia Charter School will provide support to students via internship stipends, housing support, and a job developer position focused on assisting students with transitions into full-time employment.

About Comcast

Comcast Corporation (Nasdaq: CMCSA) is a global media and technology company. From the connectivity and platforms we provide, to the content and experiences we create, our businesses reach hundreds of millions of customers, viewers, and guests worldwide. We deliver world-class broadband, wireless, and video through Xfinity, Comcast Business, and Sky; produce, distribute, and stream leading entertainment, sports, and news through brands including NBC, Telemundo, Universal, Peacock, and Sky; and bring incredible theme parks and attractions to life through Universal Destinations & Experiences. Visit www.comcastcorporation.com for more information.

EL CERRITO, Calif., December 1, 2025 /3BL/ – Net Impact, in collaboration with Cisco, announced the Top 5 finalist teams in the global Community Innovation Challenge, a global student case competition to generate tailored social impact programs based on Cisco’s technology and services.

With over 84 applications from 12 countries, the top five teams were selected based on their submission’s rationale for their community selection, their approach to stakeholder management, their use of Cisco’s portfolio of technology and services, their expected business outcomes for the program, and their submission’s overall quality. The top 5 teams will travel to Research Triangle Park, North Carolina, to pitch their ideas to Cisco senior executives for a chance to win cash from a prize pool of $17,500.

The Final Judging Panel, which will be evaluating the top 5 teams’ pitch presentations in the Community Innovation Challenge, includes the following executive leaders at Cisco:

• Christian Bigsby, Senior Vice President, Workplace Resources
• Scott McGregor, Director, Community Enablement
• Gretchen Sleeper, Director, AI Capabilities Team, Global Sales AI Center of Excellence
• Shaina Tamburr, Vice President, Market Access Revenue Acceleration

The top five teams’ proposed social impact program ideas range from climate resilience for disaster-prone regions to workforce development that addresses the digital divide to health initiatives for underserved communities abroad.

The top five finalist teams’ proposals include, in alphabetical order:

• Cisco Community Connect Detroit (CCCD), led by Tyler Ambrico, Dominick Petrosino, Kunal Dave, and Marco Andrade of the University of Michigan Ross School of Business, addresses the digital divide affecting 60% of low-income families and 70% of students despite existing citywide broadband in Detroit, Michigan.
• DinéLink, led by Mahima Subramaniyan and Devagna Jadeja from Arizona State University’s Thunderbird School of Global Management, proposes a $7M sustainable connectivity program for the Navajo Nation, where only 33% have reliable internet versus 97% nationally.
• FloodSense Ghana, led by Ayomikun Mesogboriwon, Oluwadarasimi Ariyo, and Augustine Sarfo of Talladega College, is a climate-resilience initiative leveraging Cisco’s IoT, cloud analytics, and collaboration technologies to address severe flooding in Ghana’s urban centers.
• HealthHorizons, led by Priya Rao of the University of Connecticut, Julia Kuang of Wellesley College, and Grace Chen of Swarthmore College, addresses healthcare access in Greene County, Alabama—a “dead zone” where only 50-55% have internet, 27% live in poverty, and chronic disease rates are among the nation’s highest.
• OncoALERT, led by Dr. Jayanti Kumari and Sweta Pandey from The Translational Health Science and Technology Institute in India, combines AI-powered oral cancer screening devices with Cisco’s networking infrastructure to deliver remote diagnostics in rural India.

“We’re delighted to partner with Cisco on such an important initiative — teaching emerging business leaders how to drive social impact with the tools of business,” said Net Impact CEO Karen Johns. “Cisco is a global leader in corporate citizenship, so this experience is giving our Net Impact community a first-hand experience in how to build high-performing social impact programs that are good for both communities in need and the bottom line.”

The winning teams will be shared in mid-December.

More information about the Community Innovation Challenge can be found at netimpact.org/programs/community-innovation-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.

CONTACT:

Net Impact
Hilary Manzo, Associate Director of Programs
Phone: 415-495-4230 x369
Email: hmanzo@netimpact.org

Originally published by BUILDINGS

Companies like Georgia-Pacific Recycling can also perform waste audits on your materials and bring in a baler to help you package them up for transport—potentially for free, depending on your volume of materials. “The first step is finding the right partner and getting started,” added Gordon. “A lot of people are saying, ‘I know there’s value in this material, but is it worth 50 cents or $5,000? I have no idea.’ That’s what we’re trying to quickly help people validate.”

One participant, a small produce company with three facilities, was paying $1,300 per facility to have its materials recycled, then discovered it could make up to $2,000 a month by filling a truck with recyclables.

Click here to read more on BUILDINGS

Earlier this year, more than 100 DaVita teammates (employees) from across the country gathered in Florida for the inaugural DaVita Recess, a two-day immersive experience designed to celebrate service, leadership and connection. The centerpiece of the event was a new playground built in collaboration with KaBOOM!, a national nonprofit dedicated to ending playspace inequity. To support the Boys & Girls Club of Central Florida, DaVita teammates constructed a vibrant, safe space that now serves more than 160 children daily and more than 250 families each week.

“Seeing the look on the children’s faces when the playground was built is like nothing else. I am very proud to belong to DaVita because it does what it says it does.”

– DaVita Teammate

DaVita Recess is more than a volunteer event; it’s a living example of DaVita’s belief in being a community first, company second. This philosophy means that DaVita’s impact is measured not only by clinical outcomes or the patient experience, but by the strength of its relationships and the well-being of the communities it serves. DaVita’s work with KaBOOM! reflects the company’s enduring commitment to community health, recognizing that vibrant, equitable neighborhoods are foundational to well-being. By investing in spaces that foster connection, resilience and access to opportunity, DaVita advances its vision of creating a healthier tomorrow.

The benefits also extend beyond the playground. By bringing teammates from across the U.S. to work and celebrate together, DaVita Recess focuses on uniting the DaVita community. This initiative encourages teammates to bring that positive energy to patients through compassionate, supportive care — spreading ripples of impact across the healthcare system and throughout communities.

Cascale played a leading role at the recent Asia-Pacific Sports and Outdoor Fashion Forum in Singapore and the Sustainable Textiles of the Asian Region (STAR) Annual Meeting in China, highlighting vast collaboration opportunities in decarbonization and policymaking.

At the 2025 STAR Annual Meeting in Humen, Guangdong Province, China, policy and industry leaders from across Asia’s textile and apparel sector convened to exchange best practices. Howard Kwong, senior manager, public affairs APAC, was invited by STAR to join a peer-to-peer learning and knowledge exchange session to present Cascale’s global policy and public affairs strategy.

In his remarks, Kwong outlined how Cascale works to advance smart, globally harmonized policy that enables credible sustainability action, while equipping members with the tools, data, and guidance they need to navigate fast-evolving regulation. He highlighted recent insights from the Manufacturer Interview Group — a project co-led by Cascale and the International Apparel Federation (IAF) — as well as Cascale’s APAC policy deep dive on corporate supply chain responsibility trends and the newly-established APAC Policy Member Expert Team (MET). Sovichea Saron, STAR’s head of secretariat, is a MET member, reflecting how manufacturer perspectives are integrated into Cascale’s global public affairs work.

Meaningful engagement was key. Throughout the event, Kwong met with the STAR board members and association leaders from China National Textile and Apparel Council (CNTAC), Bangladesh, Pakistan, Cambodia, Vietnam, Myanmar to explore deeper collaboration.

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In a separate event at the Asia-Pacific Outdoor & Sports Fashion Forum, Joyce Tsoi, Cascale’s senior director, decarbonization program, gave a virtual keynote presentation on the decarbonization and collaboration potential in the outdoor and sporting goods supply chain.

This event is part of the wider programming under the Asia-Pacific Textile & Supply Chain Summit & Expo (APTEXPO). Representing an extensive collaboration, the ASEAN Federation of Textile Industries (AFTEX) and the China National Textile and Apparel Council (CNTAC) jointly sponsored the event, with ECV International, and The Sub-Council of Textile Industry (CCPIT TEX) as co-organizers. The Singapore Fashion Council (SFC) also supported as a host association. Speakers joined from across Cascale’s membership, among them Mammut Sports Group AG, Puma, and New Balance.

Based in London and joining remotely, Tsoi’s virtual opening remarks began with a playful connection between an individual’s fitness commitments and a company’s decarbonization targets – pointing out that both require diligence, consistency, and commitment to succeed. Then she highlighted the top three systematic industry challenges that stop us from moving at the pace and scale necessary to combat climate change. The first was stalled engagement of Tier 2 materials production facilities, followed by few commitments from brands and retailers. This ultimately creates a lack of true business partnership. With that, Tsoi underscored the need for brands and manufacturers to have shared goals, vision, and responsibilities.

Her presentation then moved into hard-hitting industry carbon emission data, infused with actionable and regional insights from the Higg Facility Environmental Module (Higg FEM). Her final points offered a hopeful resolution, highlighting the successes of manufacturers, reflecting eight sponsoring brands, that were achieved through participating in Cascale’s Manufacturers Climate Action Program (MCAP): To date, MCAP has engaged 85 manufacturers in 19 countries with a collective CO2 reduction potential of over 1,429,087 tCO2e from 38 validated participants. She ended with a call for collaboration, highlighting Cascale’s membership, including the Outdoor Industry Association (OIA) and the European Outdoor Group (EOG).

Read More Insights, Join MCAP 

Case IH, a CNH brand, has started field tests of its ethanol-powered tractor, in partnership with Brazil’s, São Martinho, one of the largest producers of sugar, ethanol and bioenergy in the world.

The Puma 230 tractor is operating in conjunction with the Austoft 9000 series sugarcane harvester, also powered by ethanol, in Pradópolis (SP).

The initiative marks another step in the agricultural decarbonization project led by Case IH, which bets on ethanol as a strategic fuel for the future of agricultural machinery. The tractor engine, developed by FPT Industrial, is an N67 Otto Cycle, with a nominal power of 234hp, a technology similar to that used in the automotive sector, which contributes to the reduction of emissions in agriculture, in addition to generating less noise during engine operation.

“The ethanol tractor was presented during the last Agrishow and has undergone more than 100 hours of bench tests since then. Now it operates in the field alongside the harvester, which has shown very satisfactory results. The partnership with São Martinho is essential for us to validate the efficiency and reliability of these machines in real operating conditions. We are confident in the development of a complete portfolio of ethanol-powered machines”, says Leandro Conde, Marketing and Communication Director at Case IH for Latin America.

São Martinho, a historical partner of Case IH in innovation projects, sees in the initiative an opportunity to transform the carbon footprint of agriculture.

About the project

The N67 Ethanol engines, from the Puma 230 tractor, and CURSOR 13 Ethanol, from the Austoft 9000 series sugarcane harvester, were developed to meet the needs of the field, maintaining the already recognized resistance of FPT Industrial engines and adding benefits such as reduced emissions, lower noise level and use of a renewable fuel, with high productivity and availability of supply. In Latin America, FPT Industrial understands that the solution to decarbonization starts with technologies suitable for the region’s great potential in biofuels. Ethanol engine technology, developed in partnership with Case IH, reduces costs and maintains machine efficiency and availability, which are essential in TCO calculation.

After the end of the harvest period, the ethanol-powered tractor will be tested in other functions, such as soil preparation and planting, with a focus on the reliability, autonomy and durability of the equipment. The machine will also be tested in the production of corn ethanol and the expectation is that the results will contribute to the expansion of the technology to other product lines, such as grain harvesters and sprayers.

by Lindsay Wright, Cascale director, affiliate and partner communications

The Blessing in Disguise (BiD) Hypothesis encourages us to see challenges as opportunities in disguise and reframe perceived threats as chances for growth, innovation, transformation, and change.

Cascale’s 2025 Better Buying Purchasing Practices Index (BBPPI), published earlier this month, suggests that this may indeed be the case, and that even amid the toughest of geopolitical and trading contexts, brands and supplier companies can work together across the value chain to adopt purchasing practices that ensure fairness, resilience, and shared success.

The Ultimate Stress Test

Data collected for the BBPPI back in 2021 — just as suppliers were emerging, shell-shocked and bruised from the COVID-19 pandemic — revealed some interesting insights. We had expected the scores to take a real beating. But that wasn’t what happened. In fact, the data revealed that companies that had subscribed with Better Buying for two or more rating cycles had continued to improve their purchasing practices, despite the unprecedented shock of COVID.

Buyers who had begun improving their purchasing practices before the pandemic could draw on critical building blocks that helped them weather the storm. They talked to their suppliers. They knew their strengths and weaknesses thanks to the data and insights they had collected through the Better Buying surveys. And they were using that data to partner with their suppliers to co-create solutions to the challenges of COVID, making resilience a joint achievement.

At the time, Better Buying predicted that in the event of any future shocks and disruptions, it would be those companies, with inbuilt business resilience and strong supplier partnerships, that emerged competitively afterwards.

So were we right? Fast forward five years, to the 2025 BBPPI rating cycle, and we see new patterns emerging. Under the BBPPI, we confidentially collected data and insights from suppliers during a period of unprecedented geopolitical tension and uncertainty — much of it stemming from U.S.-imposed tariffs.

A New Kind of Resilience

As in 2021, this new stress-test environment for purchasing exposed weaknesses where resilient practices are not yet institutionalized. The overall industry score was down one point, and most category scores edged lower. This was especially true in the critical area of Planning & Forecasting, down three points from last year — highlighting ongoing challenges in forecast timeliness and accuracy. (Planning & Forecasting is one of seven responsible purchasing practices Better Buying identifies in its ratings cycle). Overall, buyers’ efforts to improve have been limited, and global tensions and tariffs may have further weakened performance.

And yet, as before, that’s not the whole story. Just as we saw during COVID, there are still some buyers – those with stronger processes in place – who have either sustained or improved their performance, indicating that when it comes to responsible purchasing, it’s the quality of buyers’ practices, rather than macro shocks alone, that determines outcomes.

Three Better Buying subscribers in particular were selected for closer analysis this year. Each has participated in the last three BBPPI rating cycles (2023-2025). Not only did they all outperform the soft goods industry average — despite industry-wide declines in almost all purchasing practices categories this year — one company even achieved an impressive 10 percent improvement in its overall score over the period. All three also demonstrated consistent year-on-year performance improvements.

So what did they do right?

One common feature was relatively high performance in Planning and Forecasting — a key driver of decent work, and the category consistently cited by suppliers as the most important area for buyers to focus their improvement efforts. Another was above-the-benchmark performance in relation to sample adoption rates. Suppliers underscored how good practices in these areas enabled them to manage capacity, invest in their workforce, and reduce waste.

Taken individually, each company had particular strengths. Almost all of one company’s suppliers reported that all orders were placed for fully compliant production. Another excelled at providing consistent, predictable monthly order volumes. The third was praised by suppliers for using fair financials, including advance payments and favorable terms.

Transformation Happens Together

These insights prove improvement can be achieved. But for lasting, transformational change, it can’t be just a few companies doing this in isolation. In the seven years since Better Buying began collecting supplier data, the number of participating companies has not grown enough to drive industry-wide change. But Better Buying is now part of Cascale, with 300+ members, presenting a once-in-a-generation opportunity to move the needle.

But how do we make that happen?

One barrier to progress has been fragmented leadership across the value chain. Brand and retailer CEOs must step forward with clear commitments, while suppliers must have meaningful opportunities to shape strategy and show how fairer practices deliver stronger business results.

At a recent panel of C-suite executives from both big brands and leading manufacturers held at Cascale’s Annual Meeting in Hong Kong, calls were made for tangible benchmarks to secure C-suite commitment, and for more opportunities for brand CEOs to actually visit the factory floors and engage directly with manufacturers who make their goods.

It’s highly likely that we will see more tariffs introduced next year, with suppliers facing heightened risks. If we are to survive these urgent threats and realize the opportunities amid the turmoil, CEOs and C-suite executives must recognize and act on the priority role their suppliers play in driving responsible purchasing, as both a mutual business imperative and a shared responsibility across the value chain.

Companies interested in onboarding for the BBPPI 2026 rating cycle should contact Leonie Abraham, director of business development, Better Buying.

PHILADELPHIA, November 26, 2025 /3BL/ – Comcast today announced $2.5 million in total grant funding to Lead for America (LFA) and Partners for Rural Impact (PRI), two nonprofit organizations working to open doors to economic mobility and strengthen communities across the United States. The partnerships are part of Project UP, Comcast’s $1 billion initiative to connect people to the internet, create digital opportunity, and build a future of unlimited possibilities.

Comcast funding will enable LFA’s American Connection Corps (ACC) program and PRI to expand digital opportunities across rural communities in Arkansas, Maryland, Ohio, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Utah, Vermont, and West Virginia. Through these combined efforts, the organizations will place more than 24 ACC Members in local communities to serve as digital navigators, trusted community members trained to help people get online, use devices, and build digital skills.

$2.5M in total grant funding from Comcast to Lead for America (LFA) and Partners for Rural Impact (PRI)

“Access and skills are essential in today’s digital economy,” said Dalila Wilson Scott, EVP and Chief Impact & Inclusion Officer, Comcast Corporation and President, Comcast NBCUniversal Foundation. “When communities lack the resources and training to gain and develop digital skills, entire regions are held back.”

By deepening the connection between the work of American Connection Corps to the communities served by Partners for Rural Impact, we are advancing our longstanding commitment to ensuring that opportunity reaches every part of America.

Dalila Wilson Scott
EVP and Chief Impact & Inclusion Officer, Comcast Corporation and President
Comcast NBCUniversal Foundation

“American Connection Corps Members are locally-sourced leaders and often serve as the bridge between technology and opportunity,” said Taylor Stuckert, CEO, Lead for America. “By partnering with Comcast and PRI, we can launch more digital opportunity projects, spearhead crucial digital literacy initiatives and connect community members to new opportunities.”

ACC, which focuses on placing service-minded leaders in their home communities to expand digital opportunity and advance economic mobility, will increase the number of digital navigators in rural communities.

PRI strengthens rural communities by advocating for investment, strengthening civic infrastructure, and increasing access to quality training programs across all stages of learning. In addition to employing more members of ACC in Maryland, Tennessee and Utah, PRI will also create a new, comprehensive digital portal for community leaders to access training materials, funding opportunities, data, and coaching––making vital resources available to all rural communities.

“Too often, rural communities are left out of conversations about opportunity and growth,” said Dreama Gentry, CEO of Partners for Rural Impact. “Comcast recognizes that without the tools, digital skills, and services to connect to the internet, rural Americans can’t fully participate in the digital economy. This investment allows PRI to meaningfully expand our work and provide training, jobs, and opportunity.”

Currently, Xfinity’s high-speed network reaches over 5.2 million rural households in 952 counties.

About Comcast

Comcast Corporation (Nasdaq: CMCSA) is a global media and technology company. From the connectivity and platforms we provide, to the content and experiences we create, our businesses reach hundreds of millions of customers, viewers, and guests worldwide. We deliver world-class broadband, wireless, and video through Xfinity, Comcast Business, and Sky; produce, distribute, and stream leading entertainment, sports, and news through brands including NBC, Telemundo, Universal, Peacock, and Sky; and bring incredible theme parks and attractions to life through Universal Destinations & Experiences. Visit www.comcastcorporation.com for more information.

November 26, 2025 /3BL/ – Trane Technologies has completed its second Annual Global Time of Service, an employee-driven initiative that brings our global workforce together to make a positive, collective impact in communities worldwide.

Held from October 20 – November 14, Global Time of Service saw remarkable growth in participation and volunteerism:

• 15,918 volunteer hours recorded during the event—an 18% increase over 2024.
• 2,100 unique employees contributed their time and talents, supporting 311 causes through 133 events worldwide.
• Participation extended across all regions, with significant growth in EMEA engagement.
• Employees at seven EMEA locations—including in the UK, Ireland, Belgium, France, New Zealand and Australia—joined the effort, a sixfold increase in site participation from the previous year.
• With these contributions, Trane Technologies employees have logged 67,945 volunteer hours year-to-date in 2025, moving closer to our goal of donating 500,000 hours of employee volunteer time by 2030.

During Global Time of Service, our employees were encouraged to participate in ways that best suited their teams and business priorities, whether through full-day events, shorter projects, or individual volunteering efforts. The initiative was designed to be accessible for all employees, including remote and hybrid team members—offering virtual and in-person prepaid volunteer options, as well as support from local leaders.

From assembling student kits and hosting career explorations to leading sustainability-focused workshops and upcycling textiles, teams worldwide chose community causes that resonated with their values. Events were held at company sites, throughout local communities, and virtually, ensuring everyone had an opportunity to give back.

Through initiatives like Global Time of Service, Trane Technologies continues to advance Sustainable Futures—our corporate citizenship strategy—and make significant strides toward achieving our 2030 Sustainability Commitments. As part of these efforts, we are investing $100 million and dedicating 500,000 employee volunteer hours over the next decade to empower a new generation of learners.