Tag: 3BL

bv Carrie Browen

In our first blog post, we explored what defines a software-defined vehicle (SDV) and why it marks a turning point for the automotive industry. Now, we’re diving deeper into the architecture that enables SDVs. As the automotive industry shifts from hardware-centric designs to software-first platforms, a fundamental transformation is reshaping the vehicle from the inside out. But what exactly is changing in the vehicle’s architecture, and why is this shift so pivotal for the future of mobility?

To understand the journey toward fully realizing the SDV, it is helpful to look at the evolution of vehicle architecture and software integration. Keysight shares the view held by other industry leaders and consultancies, such as PwC, that the SDV evolution can be represented in levels ranging from Level 0 to Level 5, similar to the SAE framework for autonomous driving. The following table outlines the key levels of SDV maturity — from mechanically controlled systems to fully integrated, cloud-native ecosystems — highlighting how each stage builds upon the last in terms of architecture, capabilities, and business potential.

Why the Software Stack Is the Game Changer

As the industry advances along the SDV maturity curve, with many companies currently progressing from Level 2 to Level 3, or from Level 3 to Level 4, and leading players already operating at Level 4 and beyond, it becomes increasingly clear that software is no longer just a supporting element. It has become the central driver of innovation, competitive differentiation, and long-term value creation.

At the lower maturity levels, software typically enhances isolated functions. However, as vehicles evolve, software becomes the foundation of the entire vehicle experience, encompassing everything from core functionality and safety systems to user interaction and service delivery. Over-the-air (OTA) updates and modular software stacks enable continuous innovation, allowing automakers to roll out new features and improvements long after the vehicle has left the factory floor.

At the upper levels of maturity, vehicles begin to resemble digital platforms. They support app ecosystems, enable third-party integrations, and deliver highly personalized services. With real-time data at their core, these vehicles unlock predictive maintenance, usage-based insurance, and dynamic performance optimization. This shift also opens the door to entirely new business models, from feature subscriptions to data-driven services, all made possible by a robust, scalable, and service-oriented software architecture. This SDV platform is also the enabler to advanced safety and security capabilities, as well as for AI-based intelligent mobility concepts such as autonomous driving, robotaxi, and tele-driving.

The Legacy: Domain-Oriented Architecture

For many years, vehicles have been built using a domain-based architecture, where each functional area, such as infotainment, powertrain, body control, or ADAS, is managed by its own set of Electronic Control Units (ECU). These ECUs (sometimes +80 per vehicle) are tightly coupled to specific hardware and software, forming isolated domains.

This architecture relies on:

• Multiple ECU domains: Each domain contains several ECUs dedicated to specific functions
• Heterogeneous BUS systems: Communication within and between domains is point-to-point
• Cross-car wiring: Signals often need to travel across the entire vehicle, resulting in complex and heavy wiring harnesses (+50kg coper wires)

While this approach allowed for a clear separation of functions, it also introduced significant complexity and limitations:

• A high number of ECUs per vehicle, often with overlapping functionality
• Each ECU requires its own controller and dedicated firmware
• Redundant hardware and wiring, increasing weight and cost
• Limited flexibility for software updates and feature expansion
• High integration and maintenance costs due to fragmented systems

While domain-oriented architecture served the industry well in the past, it creates functional silos, limits scalability, and poses challenges for the software-driven future of mobility.

The Shift: Zonal and Service-Oriented Architecture

In contrast, zonal architecture reorganizes the vehicle’s electronics based on physical zones (e.g., front-left, rear-right) rather than functional domains. Each zone is managed by a powerful zonal controller that aggregates data from nearby sensors and actuators. These controllers are connected to a centralized High-Performance Computer (HPC) via high-speed, low-latency communication across the vehicle, like automotive Ethernet.

Protocols like CAN and LIN have historically formed the core of in-vehicle communication systems. However, as automotive networks evolve toward domain and zonal architectures, the limitations of these legacy protocols become apparent. Nowadays for SDV, 10BASE-T1S addresses this gap by offering a lightweight, cost-efficient Ethernet solution optimized for low-speed, high-node count applications — enabling seamless integration across ECUs and sensor networks. Enabling multipoint communication and supporting both deterministic and non-deterministic functions.

This hardware transformation is tightly coupled with a shift in software architecture — from function-specific implementations to a Service-Oriented Architecture (SOA). In SOA, vehicle functions such as navigation, climate control, or lane keeping are delivered as modular, reusable services that can be independently developed, deployed, and updated.

Key Components:

• High-performance computers: Centralized compute units for software execution and real-time decision-making
• Automotive Ethernet: Multipoint, High-speed, low-latency communication backbone with one TCP-IP
• Localized wiring: Sensors and actuators connect to the nearest zonal controller, reducing cross-car wiring
• Service-oriented software: Decouples software from hardware, enabling dynamic feature deployment and cross-domain communication and data sharing via standardized APIs

This shift to a zonal, service-oriented architecture brings a host of transformative benefits. By consolidating functionality into fewer, more powerful computing units, automakers can significantly reduce the number of ECUs in a vehicle. This not only simplifies the overall system architecture but also lowers costs and minimizes potential points of failure. The shift away from complex, cross-car wiring toward localized connections within physical zones leads to lighter vehicles and more streamlined assembly processes.

Centralized computing, supported by zonal architectures, lays the foundation for a more dynamic software environment, enabling rapid feature deployment and streamlined updates. This architecture also enhances scalability, making it easier to adapt core systems across different vehicle models and configurations. With modular, service-based software, development cycles become faster introducing CI/CD/CT workflow and agile enabling collaborative development, supporting continuous innovation and seamless integration of third-party services. Perhaps most importantly, this approach enables dynamic OTA updates, ensuring that vehicles can continue to evolve and improve long after they leave the production line.

Together, these advancements lay the groundwork for the software-defined vehicle, a platform that is not only intelligent and adaptable but also designed for continuous evolution in a rapidly changing mobility landscape.

Looking Ahead

This architectural shift is not just a technical upgrade — it’s a strategic transformation. Automakers must now embrace a new mindset: HW/SW separation with using commoditized HW and components, building platforms that are modular and scalable, secure and cloud-connected, and designed for agility and rapid iteration.

It’s not just about adding more software; it’s about reimagining the vehicle as a dynamic, updatable platform. In the SDV era, the software stack becomes the engine of innovation, differentiation, and long-term value. The future belongs to those who build for continuous evolution, where software defines not just features, but the entire customer experience.

In the next blog article of our SDV Series, we’ll explore the business challenges that come with the SDV transition and how organizations can actively navigate and shape this transformation to stay ahead.

HOUSTON, October 13, 2025 /3BL/ – The Baker Hughes Foundation on Friday celebrated the donation of a new delivery van to Kids’ Meals, the nation’s only healthy, free home meal delivery program for food-insecure pre-school aged children, by filling it with over 1,000 meals packed by Baker Hughes employees who also donated over 1,000 juice boxes. The van, funded by an $88,000 grant from the Foundation, will support Kids’ Meals in their mission to change mealtimes and lifetimes one lunch at a time by enabling the organization to deliver meals to more families in our communities. 

“Children are the future, and Baker Hughes is proud to support the next generation of innovators,” said Chairman and CEO Lorenzo Simonelli. “We believe every child deserves access to the support and resources they need to thrive, and we are honored to help further Kids’ Meals’ important mission to nurture children and their families.”

Baker Hughes has partnered with Kids’ Meals since 2020. Over the last year, employees have volunteered over 400 hours helping prepare, decorate and pack lunches. The Foundation is deeply committed to advancing health and education in the communities where Baker Hughes employees live and work and are proud supporters of Kids’ Meals.

The Foundation seeks to advance environmental quality, education and opportunity, and health, safety and wellbeing around the world by supporting organizations with shared values. This donation also supports Baker Hughes’ commitment to advancing the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals, specifically SDG 2 to end hunger, achieve food security, improved nutrition and promote sustainable agriculture. 

“We are overjoyed that our Hope Provider now has the honor of driving the new Baker Hughes Foundation funded van while delivering meals,” said Beth Braniff Harp, CEO of Kids’ Meals. “Through their partnership, Baker Hughes Foundation is helping us continue our mission to end childhood hunger in Houston. This van is more than a mode of transportation, it’s a beacon of hope, and it means so much to us and the families we serve.” 

Serving 56 ZIP codes across Greater Houston, Kids’ Meals provides over 10,000 free, healthy meals to preschool-aged children each weekday, and when school is out, every child in the home up to age 18 receives a meal, totaling over 16,000 meals per day. To learn more about Kids’ Meals or how to support, visit KidsMealsInc.org. 

About the Baker Hughes Foundation:
For 30 years, the Baker Hughes Foundation has been a steward of charitable resources for meaningful community impact. The Foundation seeks to advance environmental quality, education, health, safety, and wellness around the world by supporting organizations with shared values, demonstrated leadership, evidence of impact, financial soundness, and the capacity to implement initiatives and evaluate their success. The Baker Hughes Foundation makes strategic philanthropic contributions, matches Baker Hughes employee contributions, and awards volunteer recognition grants for outstanding employee community service.

About Baker Hughes
Baker Hughes (NASDAQ: BKR) is an energy technology company that provides solutions to energy and industrial customers worldwide. Built on a century of experience and conducting business in over 120 countries, our innovative technologies and services are taking energy forward – making it safer, cleaner and more efficient for people and the planet. Visit us at bakerhughes.com.

About Kids’ Meals
In 2025, Kids’ Meals will deliver more than 3.4 million free, healthy meals to the homes of hungry preschool-aged children who face hunger due to extreme poverty. Since 2006, Kids’ Meals has delivered more than 18 million meals and connected families to vital wraparound resources to help end the cycle of poverty. Kids’ Meals is the only program of its kind in the nation delivering more than 10,000 free, healthy meals every weekday to 56 Houston-area zip codes. Visit www.kidsmealsinc.org, or follow us on Facebook, Instagram, and LinkedIn. 

For more information, please contact:

Baker Hughes Media Relations
Adrienne M. Lynch
+1 713-906-8407
 adrienne.lynch@bakerhughes.com

Kids’ Meals Media Relations
Krystal Patout
+1 713-627-2223
kpatout@piercom.com 

We work hard to use packaging that does more than protect our products and delight our consumers. At Mondelēz International, we strive to continually improve our packaging with the long-term aim of advancing our support for a more circular economy for packaging.

HIGHLIGHTS

• Approximately 96% packaging designed to be recyclable ⁽¹¹⁾
• Approximately (4.6)% reduction in overall virgin plastic (vs. 2020) ⁽¹²⁾

STRATEGIC APPROACH

We believe that by improving our packaging and measuring our performance, we can make progress towards our long-term aim of advancing our support for a more circular economy for packaging.

CIRCULARITY IN PRACTICE

Working to help advance a more circular economy demands infrastructure development, investment, an enabling policy and regulatory environment, and cooperation between multiple stakeholders.

There are many challenges that may impede the advancement of a circular economy for packaging, including a landscape of disconnected national and sub-national policies, the need to transform complex global supply chains, and the sourcing of high cost and limited availability materials.

Collaboration is key to overcoming challenges and achieving progress. We collaborate with many companies and other stakeholders on topics ranging from innovation of more sustainable alternative materials to helping develop enhanced policies, including Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR). While impact from collaboration requires time to coordinate and deploy resources across many companies, we continue to make steady progress together.

Demonstrating our commitment to collaboration, in 2024 we continued to co-chair the CGF Plastic Waste Coalition of Action (PWCoA) Taskforce on Flexible plastic packaging, advancing important work to align consumer packaged goods companies on common requirements for flexible paper packaging and principles for effective EPR that includes flexible plastic packaging.

ACTION PLANS AND PROGRESS

We aim to remove unnecessary packaging and simplify packaging materials across the business. Our three part approach includes:

1. Reducing Packaging by aiming to utilize packaging that is lightweight, safe and, where appropriate can be reused
   or recycled.
2. Evolving Packaging involves aiming to design our packaging to be recyclable, removing problematic materials, and including recycled plastic, where appropriate, to help reduce packaging waste. Our goal is to use packaging that is designed to be recyclable and continue to use recycled content.
3. Improving Systems means supporting the development of infrastructure and capabilities with the aim of being able to collect the packaging we place on the market. We support the implementation of effective policy and EPR schemes. These help enable the development of collection systems of all types of plastic packaging. We are collaborating with other companies, policymakers, investors and other key actors to help advance this work.

Significant progress has been made across the company to integrate our Global Sustainable Packaging Strategy into our local business strategies and roadmaps. In 2024 we continued to work with our local market and brand teams through workshops and training to help advance locally relevant programs for more sustainable packaging.

We believe that cross-functional collaboration is critical to our success and ability to deliver more sustainable solutions for packaging, especially in these areas:

• New innovative materials that support increased circularity and meet the quality and safety requirements of our products.
• Sourcing of new technologies such as materials made from recycled plastic.
• Globally consistent support for policy development and advancement of infrastructure.

By building on our strong foundations, we continue to move closer to meeting our goals and advancing our support for a more circular economy for packaging.

1. REDUCING PACKAGING
   We continue to progress towards achieving our 2025 goal of 5% reduction in our use of virgin plastic packaging versus 2020 levels and are set to continue to make progress over the year ahead. As a result of the slowly increasing supply of new materials, such as recycled content for flexible film, as well as successful line trials across a complex network of manufacturing sites we continue to reduce the use of virgin plastic in our packaging. In 2024, we were able to reduce our plastic packaging footprint by approximately (4.6)% versus 2020.⁽¹²⁾

   For rigid plastic packaging, we are working to offset high category growth and reduce our use of virgin plastic by eliminating packaging and using more recycled content. For example, in 2024 our Southeast Asia Business Unit reduced virgin plastic use by approximately 150 metric tonnes by eliminating plastic trays across our cookie portfolio, including Oreo, Chipsmore and Cosy brands. While we believe we have a strong pipeline of projects for 2025, we anticipate facing challenges in sourcing new materials and overcoming technical challenges to qualify and implement new solutions.

2. EVOLVING PACKAGING
   We continue to evolve our packaging materials to be more sustainable. In alignment with industry guidelines, we made progress in reducing our use of problematic materials such as PVC & PVDC and converting to recyclable packaging. At the end 2024 approximately 96% of our packaging was designed to be recyclable.⁽¹¹⁾

   We are working across our company to understand local needs, educate suppliers on Mondelēz International requirements, improve industry standards and help amplify impact through cross-industry collaboration. In 2024, we continued to support the advancement and adoption of the CGF’s Golden Design Rules, and as members of the Ocean Plastics Leadership Network (OPLN) are helping to influence more sustainable production of chemically recycled flexible plastic.

   We also continued to increase our use of recycled plastic. In North America we are converting plastic cookie trays to include up to 50% recycled PET, and our UK & Ireland Business Unit announced that starting from 2025 we will wrap approximately 300 million Cadbury bars in packaging made using up to 80% ISCC+ mass balance certified recycled plastic, reducing virgin plastic use by approximately 600 metric tonnes per year.

   We are also converting from plastic packaging to alternative materials, where beneficial. For example, in 2024 Cadbury converted from plastic to paper outerwrap for its Fingers and Animals multipacks, and LU introduced paper packaging for Véritable
   Petit Beurre, Petit Brun Extra, and LU Thé biscuit multipacks.

3. IMPROVING SYSTEMS
   To achieve a more circular economy for packaging, we believe that it is critical that the systems and infrastructure exist to collect, sort and recycle packaging waste. As such, we are working with many companies, investors, suppliers policymakers and other critical stakeholders to help improve policy design, help implement enhanced EPR schemes, and invest in new technologies
   and infrastructure.

   In 2024 as members of the Business Coalition for a UN Plastics Treaty and its Policy Working Group we continued to advocate for a legally-binding treaty that helps harmonize global policy. We hope to see progress toward a ratified agreement over the year ahead.

   We are also working to help advance the development of enhanced EPR Schemes in various markets around the world. In the US, through our membership of the CGF PWCoA we helped establish the EPR Leadership Forum (ELF) and as founding board members of the Circular Action Alliance are working with other companies to help implement effective schemes in Colorado, Oregon and other states.

   Finally, through the Circulate Capital Ocean Fund for Latin America and the Caribbean we are helping to advance the development of waste collection and recycling infrastructure, with inaugural investments made in Brazil and Colombia in 2024.

GOALS AND METRICS

SUSTAINABLE PACKAGING GOALS

• 5% recycled plastic content by 2025
• 98% or more of our packaging designed to be recyclable by 2025
• 5% reduction in virgin plastic by 2025 (vs. 2020)
• 25% reduction in virgin rigid plastic by 2025 (vs. 2020)

PACKAGING PORTFOLIO⁽³⁵⁾

2024 PROGRESS
	2024
Corrugated (metric tonnes)	429,400
Paper (metric tonnes)	237,000
Flexible plastics (metric tonnes)	124,500
Rigid plastics (metric tonnes)	53,400
Glass (metric tonnes)	11,200
Other flexibles (metric tonnes)	10,300
Metals (metric tonnes)	10,000
Total weight of packaging (metric tonnes)	875,800

SUSTAINABLE PACKAGING

2024 PROGRESS
	2024	2023	2022	2021
Packaging designed(11) to be recyclable (%)	96 %	96 %	96 %	95 %
Reduction in overall virgin plastic (12) (vs. 2020) (%)	-4.60%	1.7 %	2.9 %	4%
Reduction in virgin rigid plastic (vs. 2020) (%) (12)	1.4 %	10 %	5.4 %	—
5% recycled plastic content by 2025 (%) (13)	1.6 %	1.4 %	1 %	0.5 %

An independent third-party was engaged to provide limited assurance of our 2024 performance on plastics and packaging material consumption and targets included in the above chart.

Read our assurance statement in our ESG Reporting & Disclosure Reporting Archive.

View the full 2024 Snacking Made Right Report. 

^{(11) 2024 reported information covers the period from December 1, 2023 through November 30, 2024. Our annual reporting cycle for this metric differs from previous years as we migrate to calendar year reporting. Reported information utilizes forward looking volume estimates. Reported information is verified by an independent third-party and available in our ESG Reporting & Disclosure Reporting Archive.}

^{(12) 2024 reported information covers the period from December 1, 2023 through November 30, 2024. Our annual reporting cycle for this metric differs from previous years as we migrate to calendar year reporting. We have recalculated our base year 2020 due to data improvements. We have restated 2023 and 2022 metrics for year-over-year comparison. Reported information is verified by an independent third-party and available in our ESG Reporting & Disclosure Reporting Archive.}

^{(13) 2024 reported information covers the period from December 1, 2023 through November 30, 2024. Our annual reporting cycle for this metric differs from previous years as we migrate to calendar year reporting. Reported information is verified by an independent third-party and available in our ESG Reporting & Disclosure Reporting Archive.}

^{(35) 2024 reported information covers the period from December 1, 2023 through November 30, 2024. Our annual reporting cycle for this metric differs from previous years as we migrate to calendar year reporting.}

Coinciding with Climate Week NYC 2025, Forbes recently named FedEx chief sustainability officer and vice president of Environmental Affairs, Karen Blanks Ellis, to the 2025 Forbes Sustainability Leaders list, recognizing her leadership of the sustainability strategy for the world’s largest express transportation company.

Blanks Ellis is one of fifty individuals recognized by Forbes on this year’s list, which includes environmental ministers, climate tech entrepreneurs, globally recognized activists, and non-profit and private sector leaders. According to Forbes, the list celebrates leaders who are “defining what climate leadership looks like today” and whose “recent achievements prove that meaningful climate progress is happening now.”

In recognizing Blanks Ellis and FedEx, Forbes highlighted the company’s goal of carbon neutral operations by 2040, as well as the company’s 6.1% year-over-year reduction in direct (Scope 1) emissions. Blanks Ellis attributed this decrease in emissions in large part to aircraft modernization and fuel conservation efforts—initiatives that also enabled the company to save $400 million in jet fuel costs in FY 2024.

Advancing an “all of the above” approach to aviation sustainability

Blanks Ellis’ Forbes recognition coincided with FedEx participation in other events at Climate Week NYC, where FedEx convened discussions with customers, civil society, and scientific experts aimed at scaling solutions and identifying shared barriers to progress.

FedEx convened a roundtable with Foreign Policy that brought together experts from science, policy, finance, and business to explore how to scale existing—yet still emerging—natural carbon removal techniques. Additionally, Blanks Ellis joined Foreign Policy and aviation leaders on stage to advocate for a full suite of solutions to help the global aviation industry reach its sustainability goals: increased production of sustainable aviation fuels (SAF), air traffic control improvements, more energy-efficient aviation technology, and the adoption of a global framework for international aviation emissions management.

Learn more about the FedEx sustainability strategy here and read on for a Q&A with Chief Sustainability Officer, Karen Blanks Ellis.

———

Climate Week NYC Q&A with Karen Blanks Ellis, Chief Sustainability Officer and VP of Environmental Affairs, FedEx

Q: Karen, this was your first time attending Climate Week NYC—and you kicked it off by being named to the 2025 Forbes Sustainability Leaders list. What are your takeaways having met with some of your fellow honorees during the week?

Karen Blanks Ellis: It’s certainly an honor, and I’m grateful, but the truth is everything we do in this space is collaborative. I have the privilege of working alongside teams at FedEx who are focused on finding practical solutions across our business—like our air operations team members identifying creative fuel conservation opportunities, or our procurement and finance teams helping us execute our sustainability strategy in line with the needs of the business. More than anything, I am coming away from this week energized from learning from my CSO peers, our customers, and FedEx nonprofit partners who are all committed to advancing this important work.

Q: How are you assessing the next steps in the company’s sustainability strategy, especially in a time of transformation for the company and the industry? How do you see the sustainability strategy and the business strategy reinforcing each other at FedEx?

KBE: It is a pivotal time for FedEx and for corporate sustainability. Since 2022, we have been undergoing the largest transformation in our company’s history. We are working to improve network efficiency, modernize our systems, and harness the insights from the rich amount of data we have from operating our extensive global network. Sustainability is a natural complement and further ensures that we are building for the long term.

FedEx is relatively unique in the transportation industry in that we own many of the assets in our network, so addressing our direct emissions is a core focus of our sustainability strategy. The progress we make in that area is meaningful—both for our own business as well as for our customers. What we do within our network is ultimately in service to our customers; our Scope 1 direct emissions show up in their own carbon accounting as their Scope 3 value chain emissions.

Q: Carbon removal was a prominent theme of your Climate Week–what role do nature-based carbon capture solutions play in the long-term strategy for FedEx?

KBE: The scientific consensus is clear: achieving climate objectives requires carbon removals. While decarbonizing our operations remains the priority as we work towards our goal of carbon neutral global operations by 2040, residual emissions will persist—especially in aviation.

Through the vision of our late founder, Fred Smith, the $100M investment by FedEx to help establish the Yale Center for Natural Carbon Capture has already advanced the scientific body of work on carbon capture methods like enhanced weathering—a geological technique accelerates the chemistry of the Earth’s natural carbon cycle by placing basalt rock on agricultural fields. But beyond that, I get most excited by the fact that enhanced weathering can benefit farmers by improving soil health, increasing crop yields, and providing them with a new revenue stream.

But there will not be sufficient quality carbon removals available to meet the needs of hard-to-abate industries like ours if we don’t work collectively to scale up the market. That’s why FedEx convened a group of potential corporate buyers, project developers, financial institutions, policy influencers, and standard-setters during Climate Week for an honest discussion about what needs to happen next. We know that science will continue to evolve. But we already know enough about these techniques to build greater public understanding and to scale up the amount of excess carbon removed using them.

Click here to learn about FedEx Cares, our global community engagement program.

Farming in Syria’s Crumbled Food System

Ibrahim, a 45-year-old farmer and livestock keeper, is a father of four living in a village in Aleppo Governorate. Like many others in his community, he has faced huge challenges due to the prolonged conflict in Syria.

Syria once had a strong agricultural sector and was a net agricultural exporter, but over the course of 14 years of conflict, its food systems have crumbled. The cost of war-related damages was already estimated to be $16 billion by the Food and Agriculture Organization after just 6 years of conflict. Now, farmers are struggling to meet their own families’ nutritional needs, let alone provide enough food for the country or beyond.

“After several years of conflict in Syria, we have lost many of the assets we once relied on for our livelihood,” says Ibrahim. “We are also struggling to afford the agricultural inputs needed to resume our activities as before, such as fertilizers, seeds, and fodder [animal feed]. This has forced us to sell some of our sheep and leave a large portion of our farmland uncultivated.”

Those challenges have led to thousands of farmers leaving their lands, either to escape the conflict itself or because maintenance costs have become too much to bear. With less farmers, food availability has shrunk and the price of what is available has skyrocketed, leaving families struggling to access basic food items. The Food Security Cluster projects that 9.1 million people in Syria will face food insecurity this year, the sixth most food-insecure country globally.

Altogether, the agricultural sector has suffered immensely in the last 14 years. Left without the tools, resources, or networks that they once relied on, farmers — and everyone who is part of Syria’s food system — face a daunting future.

The Silent Spread of Giant Reed

While farmers have been forced away from their fields or too resource-constrained to adequately respond, an invasive species called Giant reed has been able to spread like wildfire. Scientists say that invasive species are one of the greatest threats to biodiversity, and Giant reed could have long-term impacts on harvests in the region. It grows extremely quickly, and native plant species have difficulty competing. The subsequent damage to pollinator populations and the local ecosystem has badly impacted growing conditions.

“Additionally, the spread of invasive plants has blocked agricultural drainage and increased soil salinity, rendering the land unusable,” Ibrahim shared. Giant reed grows best near water and has damaged essential irrigation infrastructure on many Syrian farmers’ lands. Unable to control the flow of water in their lands, farmers have suffered severe impacts on soil health, leading to weaker crop yields and worsening food insecurity.

The spread of invasive Giant reed in Syria shows how one shock, like conflict, creates a ripple effect of problems that fuel hunger. Food systems are fragile. They rely on a complex set of factors that enable food to get from farm to fork. Once that system is damaged, it is difficult to rebuild.

A Pathway Toward Renewal

Action Against Hunger launched a program to support farmers in Ibrahim’s village. Three main goals were identified for the intervention:

1. Fix the broken irrigation system
2. Decrease agricultural input costs
3. Build a sustainable, community-owned approach to addressing long-term challenges

The first goal was straightforward. Action Against Hunger staff worked alongside community members to clear agricultural drainage channels that had been clogged by an overgrowth of Giant reed. That way, water could start flowing again, and salinized soil could be replenished.

Decreasing agricultural input costs required a creative solution. Surprisingly, that solution was found in the Giant reed plant. Instead of throwing away uprooted Giant reed, Action Against Hunger realized it could be repurposed into essential inputs like silage, compost, and fodder cubes. Since Giant reed grows freely and abundantly, it offers a consistent, low-cost supply of resources. The solution controls the growth of Giant reed and transforms it into a valuable asset for farmers.

Action Against Hunger established Farm Field Schools (FFS) with funding from the Syria Humanitarian Fund to teach local farmers about innovative, sustainable approaches to their agricultural challenges. “My home became a learning hub where our FFS sessions were conducted,” Ibrahim recounted.

Farmers were provided with specialized equipment like grinders and presses to help process the Giant reed plants efficiently. “These tools will enable us to reduce fodder and fertilizer costs while ensuring access to organic, clean products,” explains Ibrahim. “With the grinder, we shredded about 12 tons of Giant reed, producing more than 4 tons of silage and over 6 cubic meters of compost.”

Ibrahim was invigorated to keep learning after the success of his first FFS course. He participated in four additional schools held near his village, gaining additional skills in agroecology.

By equipping farmers with tools and knowledge, Action Against Hunger ensured that solutions were not just immediate, but sustainable. The community-led nature of FFS means farmers like Ibrahim are taking the lead on their recovery. They have reduced dependency on external aid and can continue income-generation independently. In this way, our third goal was realized, and the foundation for a long-term, community-owned approach was firmly established.

Farmers are now sharing skills, implementing agroecological methods, and envisioning new opportunities. For example, Ibrahim and several other local farmers are considering launching a large-scale project to produce and sell silage.

Ripple Effects of Recovery in Syria’s Food System

Building sustainable food systems after conflict is laborious, slow work. According to the United Nations Development Programme’s impact report, Syria’s economy will take 55 years to restore pre-conflict GDP levels at current growth rates — but with support, it can go much faster. Because in the same way that conflict can create a ripple effect of damage, a supportive intervention like a Farm Field School can launch a chain reaction of improvement. Ambitious farmers like Ibrahim are up for the challenge.

“We are deeply grateful for the knowledge and equipment provided to us. This project has given us a renewed sense of hope and stability, and we are excited to turn these challenges into opportunities,” Ibrahim said.

***

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

October 10, 2025 /3BL/ – Dow received distinction in the 2025 BIG Sustainability Awards, securing wins in four different categories as well as four Dow products being named as finalists. BIG Sustainability Awards recognize entries from both for-profit and non-profit organizations, showcasing global dedication to environmental responsibility and innovation. Dow leads in this global sustainability recognition, with more wins and finalists than any other organization since the program’s inception.

Dow leaders honored with BIG Sustainability Awards:

Sustainability Starter (Early in career – less than 5 years) was awarded to Pratibha Mahale, associate research scientist, Dow Coating Materials. Juan Callejas, senior R&D TS&D leader, Dow Coating Materials commented on Pratibha’s contributions, “Pratibha distinguishes herself in the coatings industry through her exceptional ability to integrate cutting-edge science with purpose-driven innovation. In just a few years, she has made significant contributions to the development of high-performance, bio-based binder technologies made without fluoro-containing substances – overcoming long-standing technical barriers and reshaping industry standards. Her work not only advances environmental goals but also brings tangible benefits to communities through real-world application and outreach.”

Sustainability Champion (Non-executive) was awarded to Isabel Arroyo, senior research scientist, P&SP TS&D. Eduardo Alvarez, associate R&D/TS&D director, Flexible Packaging Envelope, EMEA P&SP TS&D remarked on Isabel’s successes, “What sets Isabel apart in the packaging industry is her unique ability to fuse scientific excellence with innovative solutions, all while maintaining a steadfast commitment to sustainability. With three decades of experience, she has been at the forefront of developing high-performance recycled materials, notably leading the creation of REVOLOOP™ recycled plastic resins. Isabel has adeptly addressed challenging issues like contamination and gel control, implementing practical solutions that have substantially impacted the market.”

Dow technologies honored with BIG Sustainability Awards:

PORTO X Athlete Recovery Sandal powered by REVOLOOP™ recycled plastics resins was recognized as a Sustainability Product of the Year. In 2024, Dow announced an exciting collaboration with Porto Indonesia Sejahtera, a leading Indonesian consumer brand specializing in recovery footwear. Porto was the first in Asia to incorporate REVOLOOP™ post-consumer recycled (PCR) polyethylene resins by Dow into their premium sandal and flip-flop lines. These resins reduce reliance on virgin plastics and give used plastics a second life—supporting both circularity and carbon reduction goals. Learn more here.

Dow’s Track and Trace Digital Platform was recognized as a Sustainability Service of the Year. Unveiled at Chinaplas 2025, Dow’s Track and Trace Digital platform revolutionizes plastics recycling with AI and smart labelling. Developed with recycling company Lovere and auto-care brand Delian, it enables full traceability of Dow REVOLOOP™ post-consumer recycled resins—from consumer drop-off to brand owner packaging. The system captures data at every stage: smart bin collection, QR-coded waste transport, automated sorting, pellet production, and final product labelling. This transparency empowers consumers and businesses, reduces virgin plastic use, and supports circular economy goals. The platform addresses critical industry gaps in data sharing and consumer awareness, making recycling more accountable and impactful.

Several Dow technologies were also recognized as finalists, including: DOWSIL™ 213S Additive, Dow Formulation-Level PCF Calculator for Coatings: Empowering Data-Driven Sustainability in Coatings, PARALOID™ EXL-2691J Impact Modifier, and UCARSOL™ Solvents.

About the BIG Sustainability Awards

The Business Intelligence Group (BIG) Sustainability Awards celebrate the companies, products, and people proving that purpose driven strategy can deliver measurable business results—and a healthier planet. Learn more about the BIG Sustainability Awards and the other winners here.

About DOW

Dow (NYSE: DOW) is one of the world’s leading materials science companies, serving customers in high-growth markets such as packaging, infrastructure, mobility and consumer applications. Our global breadth, asset integration and scale, focused innovation, leading business positions and commitment to sustainability enable us to achieve profitable growth and help deliver a sustainable future. We operate manufacturing sites in 30 countries and employ approximately 36,000 people. Dow delivered sales of approximately $43 billion in 2024. References to Dow or the Company mean Dow Inc. and its subsidiaries. ​​​​Learn more about us and our ambition to be the most innovative, customer-centric, inclusive and sustainable materials science company in the world by visiting www.dow.com.

###

Originally published on GoDaddy Resource Library

Tell us a little bit about yourself and your career journey to date.

My name is Otaro Alaka. I am a Nigerian American who grew up in Houston, Texas. Before joining GoDaddy, I was a professional athlete, playing for both the Baltimore Ravens and the Arlington Renegades. My time in the NFL was riddled with injuries so I had to make the difficult decision to close that chapter and begin exploring opportunities beyond football.

What attracted you to join GoDaddy?

The opportunity to work for a company like GoDaddy felt like a no brainer. A global tech company with 20 million customers worldwide seemed like a great landing spot for me. Getting to learn from and interact with the people here aligned with my goals to expand my technical knowledge while exploring a career that I have become passionate about.

While going through the interview process and asking current employees about their experiences, everybody shared a common answer: “The people here are amazing.”

That is what excited me the most about joining GoDaddy.

Are there any unexpected ways in which your sports background helps you in Customer Care?

Many of the skills and habits that I developed through my sports background have proven highly transferable in my professional life. It can be pretty easy to get overwhelmed and discouraged with the amount of information and tools that are needed to do this job effectively. However, my attitude and approach helped keep me on track and gave me the edge I needed to succeed. That attitude and approach came from 20 years of playing football.

How do you stay motivated and disciplined in your learning journey?

For me, its all about patience and consistency. Staying committed to your goals is crucial, even when you’re not seeing instant results. It’s all a part of the process. What’s most important is that you show up everyday with a positive mindset, an eagerness to learn, and a hunger to get better every day.

What advice would you give to athletes considering a career beyond sports?

I would tell them they already have everything they need. Learning something new takes time and there will be growing pains. The intangibles that were required to play your sport will be the keys to success in the career you choose.

What do you enjoy doing outside of work?

Outside of work, I love spending time with friends and family. I like to travel, listen to music, and work out. But most importantly, I love to eat!

Are you enjoying this series and want to know more about life at GoDaddy? Check out our GoDaddy Life social pages! Follow us to meet our team, learn more about our culture (Teams, ERGs, Locations), careers, and so much more. You’re more than just your day job, so come propel your career with us.

• Facebook
• Instagram
• LinkedIn
• Twitter
• TikTok
• Career Page

See where entrepreneurship is thriving alongside America’s favorite sport. Visit getstarted.godaddy/otaro.

Originally published on Aflac Newsroom

The Aflac Global Investments team is proving that meaningful change often starts with a single step. For the third year in a row, a small group of volunteers from this New York City team has organized a group walk every day as part of Miles for Miracles, raising funds and awareness for pediatric cancer and blood disorders treatment and research — this year, walking a total of 9,474 miles and claiming the top spot for amount raised.

What began as a simple idea has quickly turned into a powerful movement of compassion and action. The walk reflects Aflac’s long-standing commitment to children and families affected by cancer and blood disorders. Inspired by the company’s 30-year partnership with the Aflac Cancer and Blood Disorders Center of Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta, the Global Investments team wanted to find their own way to contribute.

“We manage financial assets every day, but this effort is about investing in something far more important — help for children with cancer and blood disorders,” said Brad Dyslin, executive vice president, global chief investments officer and president of Aflac Global Investments. “Every mile we walk and every dollar we raise through Miles for Miracles brings us closer to a world where no child has to face cancer or a blood disorder.”

The group raised a total of $28,581 during this year’s Miles for Miracles event, bringing their three-year total to more than $61,000 with all proceeds benefiting childhood cancer and blood disorders programs. Beyond the fundraising impact, colleagues have been able to connect in new ways — sharing stories, cheering one another on, and uniting behind a cause bigger than themselves. During his recent visit to their Wall Street office, President of Aflac Incorporated and Aflac U.S. Virgil Miller joined their walk. This daily activity has strengthened bonds across the team and has been a great way to reinforce Aflac’s commitment to wellness.

“I am so proud of Global Investments for their initiative and passion, and I commend the entire team, under Brad Dyslin’s leadership, for putting The Aflac Way into action,” said Virgil. “With each step in Miles for Miracles, the Aflac Global Investments team is proving that small actions, fueled by heart and purpose, can add up to a giant leap toward curing pediatric cancer and blood disorders. Examples like this are what make every day ‘A Great Day at Aflac!’”

“It is inspiring to see how the Global Investments team rallied around this cause,” added Max Brodén, senior executive vice president and chief financial officer. “As CFO, I’m focused on numbers every day, but this effort is about more than numbers. This effort shows how we can use our collective energy and resources to make an impact on the lives of others.”

The Aflac Global Investments team hopes their efforts will inspire others across Aflac and beyond to get involved. Learn more about Aflac’s 30-year, $191 million commitment to those with pediatric cancer and blood disorders by visiting https://www.aflacchildhoodcancer.org/.

Aflac WWHQ |1932 Wynnton Road | Columbus, GA 31999

Z2500946 
EXP 10/26

At Viatris, we believe that mental health is an essential part of overall wellbeing. This World Mental Health Day, we reflect on the many ways our teams and partners around the world are helping to raise awareness, expand access, and create spaces of understanding for those living with mental health conditions.

Our work in 2024 included initiatives collectively aimed at promoting awareness, educating and training healthcare providers, conducting research and developing treatments with governments and institutions.

Promoting Awareness

• Supported “Tear Away the Silence” live podcasts by ‘mentl,’ a United Arab Emirates mental health advocacy platform. The campaign reached approximately 5.5 million people, contributing to reducing stigma and empowering people’s mental health and wellbeing journeys.
• Collaborated in Türkiye with the Association of Psychiatric Sciences and Research (PiBAD) on the “Hayata Varım” Mental Health Disease Awareness Campaign to break down barriers to mental health care access.
• Continued to support the Yellow September Campaign, “Love Me, Love Myself,” in partnership with the Brazilian Association of Family, Friends and People with Affective Disorders (ABRATA).
• Supported the “Words Matter” project in Mexico to educate the media on how to speak and write about mental health conditions and treatments.

Education and Training

• Supported the development of a line of care guidelines in Brazil to improve access to care, reduce stigma and optimize diagnosis and treatment in primary care. The guidelines include clinical flowcharts, evidence-based treatment protocols, training for primary care doctors, continuous patient follow-up and integration with specialized mental health networks.

Government and Institutional Partnerships

• Signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Egyptian Ministry of Health to provide funding for the “Your Health is Happiness” program, part of the government’s broader 100 Million Health program. The program aims to include mental health screening for 2 million people and addresses issues such as depression, anxiety, autism, and addictions to substances, gaming and the internet in addition to supporting public awareness campaigns and capacity.

Research and Treatment Development

• Filed applications to the Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare in Japan for approval of Effexor® to treat adults with generalized anxiety disorder, an indication for which no other treatment option is currently approved in Japan. Viatris in 2024 published Phase 3 study results into the treatment’s efficacy and safety.

Exploring Art in Spain to Understand and Address Mental Health 

Also in 2024, the Viatris Foundation in Spain brought together psychiatrists and art experts for a unique event at the Museo Nacional Centro de Arte Reina Sofía to explore new ways to understand and talk about mental health. Participants at the “La Mente sobre el Lienzo” – or “Mind on Canvas” – event included a guided tour of some of the museum’s most iconic works and discussion about how art can offer comfort, support and provide an outlet for expression to people living with mental health conditions.

During the tour, various works were examined in depth, each linked to a psychiatric analysis. Each work served as a starting point for reflecting on how art can symbolize deep emotions, life experiences and internal struggles often faced by those living with mental health conditions.

Authored by Baker Tilly’s Norris James

Not-for-profit (NFP) leaders and boards are confronting a growing and often unseen threat, cyber and fraud risk. No longer confined to the information technology (IT) department, cybersecurity and fraudulent incidents now erode organizational trust, disrupt essential operations, drain financial resources and jeopardize the very mission not-for-profits serve. Ransomware can paralyze donor databases, phishing schemes reroute critical funds and data breaches can expose supporter information, putting relationships and reputations at risk.

The lesson is clear: cyber and fraud risk is not just about systems, it is about stewardship. For not-for-profit management and board members, the real test lies not in how firewalls are configured, but in how governance is exercised. Cyber resilience must be treated as an essential facet of fiduciary; mission continuity depends on it.

The expanding cyber risk landscape

Today’s cyber risks are more sophisticated, interconnected and consequential than ever. Key challenges for NFPs include:

• External threats: Advanced phishing and ransomware campaigns that target unsuspected users and fundraising platforms
• Internal threats: Fraud tied to vendor payments, treasury operations or credit card misuse often enabled by weak oversight
• Converging risks: Cyber incidents that seamlessly evolve into financial crimes, combining technical disruption with regulatory penalties, legal liabilities and reputational fallout
• Emerging vulnerabilities: AI-driven phishing campaigns, third-party vendor exposures and cloud misconfigurations extending risk beyond the organization’s perimeter

The implications are profound: cyber risk has evolved beyond a technical hazard managed by IT departments. It is now a governance priority, requiring an integrated oversight model that aligns asset protection, layered defenses, threat detection and response, financial controls and mission resilience under the board’s stewardship.

Smarter strategic questions

Leadership elevates oversight, clarifies strategic priorities and ensures resilience is built into organizational decision-making. Smarter strategic questions can be grouped into four key domains:

Assets and access

• What are our most critical digital and financial assets, and who can access them?

Resilience and response

• If our first line of defense failed, what safeguards would remain?
• How quickly would we detect and contain a breach or fraudulent transaction?

Reputation and confidence

• What aspects of our reputation are most vulnerable during a cyber incident?
• Are our cybersecurity investments proportionate to our actual risk exposure or driven by vendor marketing?

Governance and culture

• How actively is our board engaged in scenario planning for a live cyber or fraud event?
• What cultural signals do leaders send daily, reinforcing vigilance or tolerating complacency?

These are not technical questions, they are governance questions that determine whether cyber resilience siloed within IT or becomes part of the organization’s long-term strategic foundation.

Governance as the linchpin

Times and again, fraud risk exposure in not-for-profits traces back not to outdated technology, but to lapses in governance. Common gaps include:

• Inconsistent or absent policies for vendor approvals, treasury authority, bank signatories and expense disbursements
• Weak access controls across donor, payroll, vendor and payment platforms
• Lack of segregation of duties leaves organizations vulnerable to insider misuse or unintentional error

Without disciplined governance, even the most advanced cybersecurity tools can fail to protect an organization. With effective governance, technology becomes part of a broader culture of structural resilience that protects trust and mission.

A cyber resilience agenda: Four imperatives

To strengthen defenses and sustain trust, not-for-profit leaders should embrace a targeted resilience agenda, elevating cyber oversight as a strategic priority at the board level:

1. See through assumptions (assess vulnerabilities): Commission impendent reviews that test not only systems but also controls, policies and oversight processes. Never assume defense are sufficient until proven.
2. Close governance blind spots (strengthen governance): Codify and enforce financial and operational policies that eliminate structural weaknesses. Ensure that accountability frameworks connect fraud prevention, cyber oversight and fiduciary responsibility.
3. Invest with strategy, not hype (invest wisely in technology): Deploy advanced tools, such as endpoint detection, behavioral monitoring or incident response automation, where evidence shows actual risk exposure. Always integrate new tools within a layered defense strategy rather than relying on silver-bullet fixes.
4. Build a culture of vigilance (instill awareness): Cyber resilience is not episodic. It requires daily reinforcement through tone at the top, staff education and accountability mechanisms that normalize vigilance rather than treating it as an exception.

The leadership imperative

1. The reality is simple: cyber risk is not an IT problem; it is a leadership and board governance problem. It directly challenges donor confidence, financial integrity and mission continuity, making cyber resilience inseparable from fiduciary duty.
2. The defining question for every not-for-profit leader is: In safeguarding our digital and financial systems, are we truly protecting our mission?
3. Leaders who can answer “yes” will do more than defend infrastructure, they embed vigilance into governance, align investments with real risk and build resilience into strategy. Ultimately, these leaders won’t be defined by the cyber threats they faced, but by the trust they upheld and mission impact they sustained.

Baker Tilly can help

Our NFP-specialized cyber risk team can help your organization proactively protect and address its cybersecurity and IT risks. We can evaluate your current controls, deliver recommended improvements and provide assurance that your cybersecurity controls are working. Beyond cybersecurity, our board governance services facilitate enhanced decision-making and reinforce effective risk management practices.

Contact our team to learn more about how we can help drive your mission forward.