Tag: 3BL

Roxanne Low | Research Analyst—Responsible Investing
Jonathan Berkow | Director of Quantitative Research and Data Science—Equities

From brand risks to regulatory uncertainty, AI poses investment challenges. Is there a way forward?

Artificial intelligence (AI) poses many ethical issues that may translate into risks for consumers, companies and investors. AI regulation, which is developing unevenly across jurisdictions, adds to the uncertainty. The key for investors, in our view, is to focus on transparency and explainability.

The ethical issues and risks of AI begin with the developers who create the technology. From there, they flow to the developers’ clients—companies that integrate AI into their businesses—and on to consumers and society more broadly. Through their holdings in AI developers and companies that use AI, investors are exposed to both ends of the risk chain.

Diverging Rules Shape AI Risk

AI continues to develop briskly, far ahead of most people’s understanding of it. Among those trying to keep up are global regulators and lawmakers, whose activity has recently surged. Many countries have released national AI strategies, and several major jurisdictions have moved from strategy to enforceable rules (Display).

The lack of a uniform approach to AI regulation across jurisdictions creates complexities for international businesses. Regulatory approaches differ in form and scope. The European Union’s (EU) Artificial Intelligence Act adopts a risk-based model, with strict requirements for high-risk AI systems. The US takes a sector-specific approach that emphasizes innovation and competitiveness. China prioritizes state control, data sovereignty and comprehensive monitoring.

This regulatory landscape requires internationally operating businesses to monitor developments closely—and compounds AI’s other risks for investors.

Data Risks Can Damage Brands

In business, AI is often deployed through generative tools—such as text, video and voice generation—and large language models (LLMs). LLMs underpin applications such as chatbots, automated content creation and large-scale data analysis.

Many companies have found that AI innovations may involve potentially brand-damaging risks. These can arise from biases inherent in the data on which LLMs are trained and have resulted in banks inadvertently discriminating against minorities in granting home-loan approvals, and in a US health insurance provider facing a class-action lawsuit alleging that its use of an AI algorithm caused extended-care claims for elderly patients to be wrongfully denied.

Risks also stem from AI training data. In September 2025, Anthropic settled a class action over pirated training data for about $1.5 billion. By year-end, more than 70 generative AI copyright lawsuits had been filed, including The New York Times v. OpenAI and Microsoft, Disney and Universal v. Midjourney, and Getty Images v. Stability AI. AI training data risk is increasingly a quantifiable balance-sheet risk.

Bias, discrimination and training data are key regulatory risks that should be on investors’ radars; others include intellectual property rights and privacy considerations concerning data. Risk-mitigation measures—such as developer testing of the performance, accuracy and robustness of AI models, and providing companies with transparency and support in implementing AI solutions—should also be scrutinized.

Dive Deep to Understand AI Regulations

Regulatory approaches to AI are diverging in ways that matter for investors. The EU’s AI Act, a comprehensive, risk-based framework, has been rolling out in phases since 2024. The US, by contrast, relies on existing federal agencies, voluntary frameworks and state-level laws rather than a single overarching regime. The UK has taken a principles-based approach, deferring comprehensive legislation. And China has moved quickly with targeted rules focused on specific applications—particularly those tied to content control, social stability and data sovereignty.

For investors, this divergence has real implications. It is increasingly relevant to ask which jurisdiction a portfolio company is effectively optimizing for, as the rules governing a global business may vary materially by market.

Investors, in our view, should do more than drill down into jurisdiction-specific AI regulations. They should also understand how existing legal frameworks—such as copyright law to address data infringements and employment legislation where AI has an impact on labor markets—are being applied to AI.

Fundamental Analysis and Engagement Are Key

A useful rule of thumb for investors assessing AI risk is that companies that proactively disclose their AI strategies and policies are likely to be better prepared for new regulations. More generally, fundamental analysis and issuer engagement are central to this area of research.

As we see it, fundamental analysis should examine not only company-level AI risks but also risks along the business chain and across the regulatory environment, testing insights against core responsible-AI principles (Display).

Engagement conversations should address AI issues not only in business operations but also from environmental, social and governance perspectives.

AI Oversight: Questions for Boards and Management 

Questions for investors to ask boards and management include:

• AI integration: How has the company integrated AI into its overall business strategy? What are some specific examples of AI applications within the company?
• Board oversight and expertise: How does the board ensure it has sufficient expertise to effectively oversee the company’s AI strategy and implementation? Are there any specific training programs or initiatives in place?
• Public commitment to responsible AI: Has the company published a formal policy or framework on responsible AI? How does this policy align with industry standards, ethical AI considerations and AI regulation?
• Proactive transparency: Does the company have any proactive transparency measures in place to withstand future regulatory implications?
• Risk management and accountability: What risk management processes does the company have in place to identify and mitigate AI-related risks? Is there delegated responsibility for overseeing these risks?
• Data challenges in LLMs: How does the company address privacy and copyright challenges associated with the input data used to train LLMs? What measures are in place to ensure input data is compliant with privacy regulations and copyright laws? How does the company handle restrictions or requirements related to input data?
• Bias and fairness challenge in generative AI systems: What steps does the company take to prevent and/or mitigate biased or unfair outcomes from its AI systems? How does the company ensure that the output of any generative AI systems used are fair, unbiased and do not perpetuate discrimination or harm to any individual or group?
• Jurisdictional compliance: Does the company comply to the highest global standard by default, or jurisdiction by jurisdiction?
• Incident tracking and reporting: How does the company track and report on incidents related to its development or use of AI, and what mechanisms are in place for addressing and learning from these incidents?
• Metrics and reporting: What metrics does the company use to measure the performance and impact of its AI systems? How are these metrics reported to external stakeholders? How does the company maintain due diligence in monitoring the regulatory compliance of its AI applications?

  Ultimately, the best way through the maze is for investors to stay grounded and skeptical. They should insist on clear answers—and not be unduly impressed by elaborate explanations.

The views expressed herein do not constitute research, investment advice or trade recommendations, do not necessarily represent the views of all AB portfolio-management teams and are subject to change over time.

Learn more about AB’s approach to responsibility here.

What does it take to preserve more than 160 years of family, business, and brand history? Hear from Rachel Guerin, Bacardi Heritage Curator and sixth generation Bacardi family member who shares an inside look at one of the world’s most unique, private corporate heritage collections: the Bacardi Archives.

For most people, history lives in textbooks, museums, or old family photo albums. At Bacardi, the world’s largest privately held international spirits company, heritage is actively preserved, protected, and put to work every day.

Located in Miami, the Bacardi Archives houses more than 20,000 artifacts and records that tell the story of seven generations of family ownership, entrepreneurial resilience, and the evolution of one of the world’s most recognized spirits companies. From century-old rum bottles and original advertisements to family photographs and handwritten business records, the collection serves as both a guardian of the past and a source of inspiration for the future.

To close out Rum Month, Rachel shares some of her favorite stories hidden within the collection and why preserving history remains an important investment for Bacardi and the company’s future. 

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Q: For those who have never heard of the Bacardi Archives, how would you describe it?

Rachel Guerin: Think of the archives as the collective memory of Bacardi. We preserve more than 160 years of family, our rum-making business, and brand history through over 20,000 artifacts and records that help tell the story of who we are, where we’ve been, and how we’ve evolved across seven generations from the very beginning in Santiago de Cuba to a global company. 

Alongside rare Prohibition-bottle eras of our namesake rum and colorful advertisements, we preserve family photographs, important business records, correspondence, packaging, family heirlooms, merchandise and everyday objects that offer a unique window into the people and moments that shaped our history.

Q: When people hear the word “archive,” they often picture dusty boxes tucked away in storage. What do the Bacardi Archives actually look like today?

RG: What surprises most people who reference our archives is that our collections of items really are living; my role as Heritage Curator is to ensure we’re constantly researching and digitizing records that are most at risk of inaccessibility or degradation (and not just the very old ones). 

We’re currently digitizing more than 2,000 VHS tapes and an extensive CD collection containing advertisements, presentations, and campaigns from the 1990s and early 2000s. Though they may not seem that old or dusty in comparison to a document from the 1850s, they are surprisingly more complex to preserve. 

Today in our largely digital world, we work around the clock to evolve to new technologies, tools and systems to make sure we’re protecting born-digital records today that can be accessible for generations to come.

Q: How is the collection used today?

RG: The archives support projects across many areas of our business, from trademark protection and innovation to marketing, education, and brand storytelling. Historical materials help ensure our stories remain factual and authentic while inspiring new ideas for the future.

Recently I’ve collaborated with the BACARDÍ rum brand team to develop a collection of vintage BACARDÍ emblems and graphics from our archives, reimagining them for 21st-century luxury goods.

Beyond supporting business initiatives, the collection is also becoming more visible than ever before. Our new archives showpiece room was intentionally designed as a modern, welcoming environment where our employees, family members, and guests can step inside the world of BACARDÍ from 1862 to present.

Q: Do you have a favorite object in the collection?

RG: A recent favorite object is the very first gold medal BACARDÍ rum ever received at the 1876 Philadelphia Exposition. This award symbolized the moment in time where consumers from the United States and Europe first recognized the unparalleled quality of my great-great-great grandfather Don Facundo Bacardí Massó’s light-bodied rum. Alongside modern marvels of the day like the Remington Typewriter and the Singer sewing machine, BACARDÍ rum won this medal, and the family was so proud they immediately placed its emblem on our bottle label. Today, BACARDÍ is the world’s most awarded rum, and this Philadelphia medal is still proudly represented on our bottle labels, 150 years later.

Q: In what ways does preserving history contribute to a more sustainable future?

RG: Sustainability is often thought of as environmental stewardship, but I think preserving our cultural heritage is equally important.

For family-owned businesses like Bacardi, stewardship has always been about thinking beyond the present moment. The decisions made by previous generations continue to influence us today and help us make more informed decisions, and the records they left behind help us understand not only what they accomplished, but how they navigated challenges, adapted to change, and planned for the future.

When we preserve history, we’re really making an investment in future generations, ensuring they have access to the experiences, wisdom, and stories that shaped the path before them.

Q: Is there a historical figure in the archives whose story continues to resonate with you today?

RG: I am enthralled with the legacy of my great, great grandfather Emilio Bacardí Moreau, the eldest son of founder Don Facundo Bacardí Massó. While he helped lead the family rum business in one of Cuba’s most politically tumultuous and challenging times, his impact extended far beyond rum production and into the very lives of his fellow Cuban citizens. Emilio served as the first democratically elected mayor of Santiago de Cuba following the Spanish American War and devoted much of his life to rebuilding the city and supporting its people. He was a fantastic writer, devoted husband and father, and to me, he perfectly exemplified the importance of stewardship to your community and leaving the world better than you found it.

Q: What do you hope future generations will learn from the collection a hundred years from now?

RG: I hope future generations see that history is never finished; every generation adds a new, exciting chapter to our story. The artifacts my team preserves today will become the historical record of tomorrow, and I hope that sense of stewardship continues on indefinitely. 

More than anything, I hope they see the people behind the story. It’s easy to look at a company with more than 160 years of history and focus on the milestones, products, or business achievements. But when I walk through the archives, what I see are generations of individuals and some of my own ancestors who faced uncertainty, embraced change, and worked hard to build something larger than themselves.

• Hear more from Rachel on a History Factory Podcast.
• View the Bacardi Limited Corporate Story video.
• Explore the Bacardi company’s rich heritage timeline.

CHARLOTTE, N.C., August 26, 2026 /3BL/ – Discovery Education today announced that Mystery Writing, its supplemental writing solution for kindergarten through grade 5, is now available to educators nationwide. Mystery Writing joins Mystery Science, the most widely used K-5 science curriculum in the United States, in reaching the full elementary grade span within Discovery Education’s family of open-and-go, evidence-backed instructional solutions.

Writing instruction has historically received less classroom time and professional learning investment than reading, even though research shows the two skills are deeply interrelated. That is beginning to shift: several states have recently increased funding for evidence-based writing instruction, with 39 states mentioning writing within “science of reading” laws. Mystery Writing gives educators a classroom-ready way to act on that shift now.

“Writing skills are foundational for student success in literacy, yet too often the conversation focuses on reading alone,” said Brian Shaw, CEO of Discovery Education. “As schools work to strengthen literacy outcomes based on learning science, teachers need support to bring high-quality writing instruction into their daily practice alongside reading curricula. Mystery Writing meets that need by combining rigorous, scaffolded instruction with the curiosity and engagement that Discovery Education’s Mystery solutions are known for.”

A Developmental Approach, Grounded in Research

Mystery Writing is built on research showing that writing instruction is most effective when students write frequently, receive explicit and scaffolded instruction, and get timely feedback within a supportive writing community. Every lesson follows the same instructional sequence: an engaging, real-world hook; explicit instruction; scaffolded practice; discussion; independent writing application; and reflection, moving students from guided support toward independent writing.

• Kindergarten and grade 1 (new): a developmental sequence that moves from drawing to labeling to sentence-writing, organized into short, single-skill lessons of about 20 minutes. Lessons are designed to complement a classroom’s existing phonics program, applying students’ phonics knowledge to writing. Teachers can move flexibly within a skill group to meet their students’ needs.
• Grades 2 through 5 (established): genre units in narrative, opinion, and informative writing, plus essential skill lessons that build fundamental writing abilities across genres. Lessons include built-in differentiation, structured partner work, and pre- and post-unit assessments so teachers can track student progress.

Mystery Writing lessons are open-and-go, simplifying implementation: teachers can begin teaching with minimal preparation. The program’s explicit, step-by-step instruction and scaffolded tasks build students’ confidence and independence as writers over time, enabling young writers to overcome the common fear of the blank page.

Evidence-Backed Impact

In December 2023, LearnPlatform by Instructure, an independent edtech research organization, completed a logic model review of Mystery Writing that satisfies Level IV evidence requirements (“Demonstrates a Rationale”) under the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA). This evidence tier reflects a well-specified logic model informed by prior research, together with active planning for a higher-tier effectiveness study; it also means districts can apply Title funds toward a Mystery Writing purchase. Discovery Education has since begun planning an ESSA Level III study examining Mystery Writing usage and its relationship to student writing outcomes.

“Mystery Writing covers all three types of writing—informative, persuasive, and narrative—which is exactly what our state standards require,” said Stacey Leary, 4th Grade Teacher in New Hampshire. “I love that the resources in Mystery Writing are right there in the lessons to click on and print. The step-by-step instructions save me time with planning.”

Availability and Trial for Classrooms, Schools, and Districts

Teachers and parents or guardians can sign up for a free, year-long trial of Mystery Writing at https://writing.mysteryscience.com/. A Getting Started Guide is available to help educators plan how to use Mystery Writing in their classrooms. Mystery Writing is also available for purchase by schools and districts.

About Discovery Education

Discovery Education is a global education technology leader whose innovative solutions empower educators and progress student learning. Discovery Education’s solutions have served more than 100 million students globally, supporting effective teaching and learning in 45% of U.S. K-12 schools and in 100+ countries and territories. The company’s portfolio includes award-winning core and supplemental curriculum, high-quality standards-aligned content, and AI-enabled teaching and learning tools. Solutions span math, science, literacy, social studies, and career-connected learning, including instructionally-aligned content developed through one-of-a-kind partnerships with industry leaders to bring real-world relevance into every lesson. Learn more at www.DiscoveryEducation.com.

Media Contact

Ali Koper
AKoper@DiscoveryEd.com
503-415-9699

PITTSBURGH, August 26, 2026 /3BL/ — Wesco International (NYSE: WCC) announced it has been named a Europe winner in the 2026 Blackbaud Impact Awards, earning the Silo Buster Award for its leadership in transforming Wesco Cares from a primarily U.S.-based initiative into a more globally integrated community impact program. The award recognizes organizations and individuals that are leveraging technology, innovation, and data-driven strategies to advance their missions, strengthen communities, and drive meaningful, lasting social impact.

Over the past several years, Wesco has expanded the reach of Wesco Cares throughout Europe by building a more connected, globally aligned approach to community engagement. Through the use of Blackbaud YourCause and Impact Edge, the company established consistent governance practices, strengthened nonprofit vetting processes, launched an EMEA Client Engagement Fund and created new opportunities for employees to participate in giving and volunteerism. These efforts helped transform Wesco Cares into a more integrated, data-driven global program and contributed to an over 400% year-over-year increase in employee engagement in the United Kingdom.

“This recognition reflects what can happen when people come together around a shared commitment to making a difference,” said John Engel, Chairman, President and Chief Executive Officer of Wesco. “Across Wesco, our employees are passionate about supporting the communities where we live and work. Their dedication has helped expand the reach of Wesco Cares, strengthen community partnerships and create more opportunities for employees to give back. We are honored by this recognition and proud of the positive impact our teams continue to make around the world.”

The Silo Buster Award recognizes organizations that have broken down barriers, increased collaboration and connected people, processes and data to achieve greater impact. Wesco was selected for its success in integrating philanthropy into its EMEA business strategy, aligning regional and global efforts, and creating a more unified approach to community investment and employee engagement. The initiative demonstrates how collaboration, technology and shared accountability can drive sustainable results across a global organization.

Additional highlights from Wesco’s award-winning initiative include:

• Established formal governance, charity vetting and approval processes to support scalable growth across EMEA.
• Launched the EMEA Client Engagement Fund, connecting community impact with customer and business relationships.
• Added regional sustainability leadership to Wesco Cares governance, helping align local priorities with global strategy.
• Increased combined employee engagement in the United Kingdom by over 400% year over year through expanded volunteer and giving opportunities.
• Created a more globally integrated model for philanthropy that offers employees around the world meaningful ways to give back.

This year’s Blackbaud Impact Awards celebrate organizations and leaders across Europe, North America and Asia Pacific that are breaking down barriers, accelerating innovation and transforming how social impact is delivered. Winners were selected from a global field of applicants representing nonprofits, educational institutions, healthcare organizations, foundations and purpose-driven companies.

“The organisations and individuals recognised through this year’s Blackbaud Impact Awards demonstrate what’s possible when mission-driven leadership is paired with innovation,” said Todd Lant, chief customer officer, Blackbaud. “Across Europe and around the world, they’re using technology, data, and creativity to deepen engagement, deliver measurable outcomes, and build stronger communities. We’re proud to celebrate their success and the meaningful impact they’re creating.”

Blackbaud will honor winners during bbcon 2026, the company’s annual technology conference. Learn more about the Blackbaud Impact Awards and this year’s winners at Blackbaud Impact Awards.

To learn more about Wesco in the community visit Wesco.com.

About Wesco
Wesco International (NYSE: WCC) builds, connects, powers and protects the world. Headquartered in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, Wesco is a FORTUNE 500® company with approximately $24 billion in annual sales in 2025 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 21,000 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 significant digital capabilities, Wesco provides innovative solutions to meet customer needs across commercial and industrial businesses, technology companies, telecommunications providers, and utilities. Wesco operates more than 700 sites, including distribution centers, fulfillment centers, and sales offices in approximately 50 countries, providing a local presence for customers and a global network to serve multi-location businesses and global corporations.

About Blackbaud 
Blackbaud (NASDAQ: BLKB) is the world’s leading provider of AI-powered solutions for social impact. Serving nonprofits, educational institutions, companies committed to corporate social responsibility, and individual change makers, Blackbaud propels impact at scale with the sector’s most intelligent solutions for fundraising and engagement, education solutions, financial management and CSR and grantmaking. With the deepest expertise powered by the world’s largest philanthropic data set, the most connected workflows, and the most powerful impact network, Blackbaud’s solutions are building a future where resources are unleashed at the speed of need. Blackbaud has been recognized by Fast Company, Newsweek, Quartz, Forbes and more for AI innovation, responsible leadership and workplace excellence. Blackbaud has operations in the United States, Australia, Canada, Costa Rica, India and the United Kingdom, supporting users in 100+ countries. Learn more at www.blackbaud.com or follow us on X/Twitter, LinkedIn, Instagram and Facebook.

Contact Information:
Jennifer Sniderman
Vice President, Corporate Communications
Jennifer.Sniderman@wescodist.com

 

Originally published on newsroom.marykay.com

DALLAS, August 26, 2026 /3BL/ – After more than three decades of empowering women, transforming lives, and building one of the most recognized beauty entrepreneurship platforms in China, Mary Kay is entering a new era of growth and innovation, marking a significant milestone in the company’s long-term growth strategy in one of its most important global markets.

Under the leadership of General Manager Mark Chen, Mary Kay China and Hong Kong is accelerating its business transformation, combining its powerful heritage of women’s empowerment with a renewed focus on innovation, digital excellence, and modern entrepreneurship to unlock the next generation of opportunity.

Chen joined Mary Kay, a global leader in beauty and women’s empowerment, a year ago, bringing extensive experience in brand management, market operations, and organizational leadership through tenures at global companies and powerhouse brands across various industries, including Saputo Dairy, Philips, Danone, Ferrero, and P&G, as well as a track record in business transformation.

Chen has prioritized product innovation, digital excellence, and the empowerment of Independent Beauty Consultants, balancing legacy and modernization while shaping the business for sustained growth.

“For more than three decades, Mary Kay has built an iconic presence in China, defined by pioneering business milestones and a lasting impact on generations of women through the dedication of our Independent Beauty Consultants,” said Mark Chen, General Manager of Mary Kay China and Hong Kong. “As we look to the future, I am honored to lead a brand that brings together innovation, empowerment, and community and to accelerate our modernization, inviting all generations to experience the transformative power of Mary Kay in their own lives and in the lives of others.”

“At Mary Kay, our greatest achievement is measured in the lives changed. Every day, our Independent Beauty Consultants in China demonstrate what’s possible when women are given a viable opportunity,” said Tara Eustace, Chief Opportunity and Sales Officer of Mary Kay Inc. “Mark Chen’s leadership ushers in an exciting new chapter in our company’s story in China. His expertise in business transformation and strategic vision will be instrumental in driving growth at Mary Kay China.”

Under Chen’s leadership, Mary Kay China is sharpening its focus on three strategic pillars:

• Innovation-Led Growth: Expanding its skincare leadership with a robust product pipeline and continued investment in R&D. Mary Kay plans to launch 29 new products by 2026, reinforcing its leadership in skincare innovation.
• Digital-First Empowerment: Enabling entrepreneurs through AI tools, social commerce, and a seamless, low-barrier business model. Embracing the digital economy, Mary Kay has created the Authorized Online Exclusive Store, a custom-built entrepreneurial platform for Beauty Consultants. The company manages key operational functions, including e-store setup, shipping, and after-sales service, while incorporating innovative tools such as AI-powered skin analysis to enhance customer experience. This enables consultants to launch with zero inventory and focus on delivering beauty expertise and personalized care. At the same time, Mary Kay remains committed to its signature high-touch service. From one-on-one beauty consultations and guidance to its 30-day satisfaction guarantee, every interaction is designed to build trust and deliver a professional, caring experience.
• Community and Purpose: To advance its mission of empowering women through entrepreneurship, education, and social impact, Mary Kay introduced the Mary Kay Beauty Consultant Development Program. Supported by the e-Beauty Station and My Coach app, the program offers nearly 100 expert-led courses in dermatology and product knowledge, along with extensive marketing resources, enabling newcomers to build skills, overcome entry barriers, and unlock growth opportunities.

Impact Powerhouse

Since its inception in 1995, Mary Kay China has celebrated a series of milestones in business excellence:

• Legacy: Mary Kay has been present in China for over 30 years, supporting millions of women entrepreneurs and customers.
• Beauty Innovation Leadership: Mary Kay has invested millions annually in R&D and conducts extensive product safety and efficacy testing.
• Best-In-Class Manufacturing: In 2006, Mary Kay established its manufacturing facility in Hangzhou, Zhejiang Province. With a cumulative investment of 700 million Chinese yuan, this facility has provided a solid foundation for rapid market expansion and the development of products tailored to the unique needs of Chinese women.
• Social & Economic Impact: Mary Kay China has supported over 260,000 women through meaningful entrepreneurship and social impact programs.

Top-tier Recognition

Mary Kay China garnered 14 Company awards in China in 2025 and 2026.

• Sustainability and Social Responsibility 
  • Mary Kay was recognized with a Golden Bee Award for excellence in “Gender Equality Information Disclosure” at the 18th International Conference on Sustainability Reporting, held in Beijing. Of the 3,100 companies that submitted their 2025 sustainability reports, Mary Kay ranked among the top 3%.
  • Mary Kay was honored with “Pioneer Enterprise in Green and Sustainable Development” and “Role Model for Social Responsibility” at the 2025 Yangtze River Delta Health and Beauty Industry High-Quality Development Conference.
  • Mary Kay was recognized in 2026 as a “Supporting Unit for Cultural Volunteer Services for the Disabled in Jing’an District” for its long-standing commitment to inclusion, employee volunteerism, and community engagement.
• Business Excellence 
  • Mary Kay was named “Annual Influential Enterprise in New Consumption” by the NCBC New Consumption Maker Carnival and World Direct Selling Brand Festival Committee in both 2025 and 2026.
  • Mary Kay was honored as “Outstanding Enterprise” (2025) and “New Business Value Symbiosis Benchmark Enterprise” (2026) by the New Business Value Interaction Conference and Digital Economy AI Empowerment Summit Forum.
  • Mary Kay was named a “2025 Respected Direct Selling Enterprise” at the Golden Wild Goose Awards.
  • Mary Kay received the top “Annual Outstanding Enterprise” honor at the 2025 GDS Jude Awards, presented during the Global Marketing Industry Forum and Global Direct Selling Summit.
  • Mary Kay earned the “Annual Corporate IP Award” at the 2025 Xiaomao Beautiful Life Entrepreneur IP Conference for creating high-quality brand content across social platforms.
  • Mary Kay received the “Outstanding Contribution Award for High-Quality Development” from the Jing’an District government in 2025.
• Workplace Excellence
  • Mary Kay was awarded “2026 Jing’an District Advanced Collective for Job Excellence” at the district’s Outstanding Contributions to Job Excellence Commendation Conference.
• Customer Experience Leadership
  • Mary Kay was recognized as a “2024 Innovative Case for Optimizing the Consumption Environment in the Direct Selling Industry” during China Consumer News’ 2025 3·15 Campaign, highlighting the professional pre- and post-sales support provided by Mary Kay Independent Beauty Consultants.

Topping the Global Charts

• Mary Kay was named the World’s No. 1 Direct Selling Brand in Skincare and Color Cosmetics by Euromonitor International for four consecutive years.
• Mary Kay ranks No. 8 on the Forbes Best Brands for Social Impact 2026 list among nearly 5,500 brands.
• Mary Kay ranks No. 2 on the Forbes Best Customer Service 2026 list among 3,500 brands.

Guided by innovation, purpose, and entrepreneurial spirit, Mary Kay is not simply celebrating a remarkable 30-plus-year legacy; it is building the foundation for its most dynamic chapter yet.

***

About Mary Kay

One of the original glass ceiling breakers, Mary Kay Ash founded her dream beauty brand in Texas in 1963 with one goal: to enrich women’s lives. That dream has blossomed into a global company with millions of independent sales force members in 40 markets. For over 60 years, the Mary Kay opportunity has empowered women to define their own futures through education, mentorship, advocacy, and innovation. Mary Kay is dedicated to investing in the science behind beauty and manufacturing cutting-edge skincare, color cosmetics, nutritional supplements, and fragrances. Mary Kay believes in preserving our planet for future generations, protecting women impacted by cancer and domestic abuse, and encouraging youth to follow their dreams. Learn more at marykayglobal.com. Find us on Facebook, Instagram, and LinkedIn.

###

<sup>1.“Source Euromonitor International Limited; Beauty and Personal Care 2026 Edition, value sales at RSP, 2025 Data”
2. Alan Schwarz, Forbes Staff. (March 17, 2026). “2026 Best Brands for Social Impact.”
3. Alan Schwarz, (October 14, 2025). “2026 Best Customer Service.” https://www.forbes.com/lists/best-customer-service/</sup> 

The Riverside Department of Animal Services recently reached a milestone that represents a paradigm shift in shelter medicine. By implementing Trutect™ (formerly Canine Parvovirus Monoclonal Antibody)—the first and only USDA-approved treatment for Canine Parvovirus—they have successfully achieved a 63% reduction in Parvo-related euthanasia rates year-to-date.

This dramatic shift is the direct result of what happens when visionary leadership meets first-of-its-kind innovation. For decades, Parvo was a devastating diagnosis for shelters; today, Trutect™ provides the tool veterinarians need to fight back and win. 

At Elanco, this progress is the living embodiment of our mission: making life better for animals, makes life better. By providing the science to turn a diagnosis of parvovirus into a story of recovery, we are not just advancing veterinary medicine—we are strengthening the essential bond between pets and the communities that care for them.

Learn more here

NORTHAMPTON, Mass., August 25, 2026 /3BL/ – Communications, marketing and sustainability professionals have long relied on editorial calendars built around fixed dates such as earnings releases, awareness days, recurring campaigns, and planned events. But for all their planning, teams often find those calendars miss some of the moments that end up mattering the most. Whether that is a competitor releasing a new report, a regulatory deadline approaching, or a cultural moment that shifts the conversation overnight. Moments Ahead was built to be the tool you can rely on to close that gap.

“Moments has been especially exciting to build because of how it has unlocked our ability to bring a lot of different types of data together. Our infrastructure gathers signals from across many sources that get distilled into curated, human-reviewed moments, and the accompanying metrics and recommendations help users understand what to do next, instead of leaving them to guess.”

Kristin Martin
Data Engineer, 3BL

What Moments Ahead Offers

Moments Ahead surfaces a forward-looking calendar of moments relevant to a company’s sector and audience, including:

• Industry, policy, and cultural shifts about to break into the public conversation
• Sustainability and workforce observances relevant to your sector
• Conferences, events, and stages where your leadership should be seen
• Competitor announcements, campaigns, and reports across your industry
• Regulatory deadlines and reporting cycles creeping up on you

The Moments that Matter 

Each moment goes beyond only flagging what is happening. Moments Ahead gives teams the context they need to understand why a moment matters, what is driving it, and where there may be an opportunity to join the conversation.

Instead of starting from scratch, teams can move from spotting a moment to making an informed communications decision in minutes.

A moment is broken down by:

• Competitor Activity: See who is already making a move
• Confidence: Understand how strong a signal is
• Attention Level: See how much momentum is building
• Why It Matters: Get context behind the moment
• Potential Opportunity: Identify where your organization can join the conversation

Moments Ahead is available now as part of the 3BL platform, with subscribers already logging in and using it. Organizations interested in learning more or seeing the feature in action can book a demo here.

About 3BL

Since 2009, more than 1,500 companies have trusted 3BL to distribute their news to credible publishers — extending beyond press releases to the full range of stories that shape stakeholder perception.

From Fortune 500 companies to nonprofits, 3BL combines targeted distribution, strategic insights, and measurable analytics to track what’s reaching audiences, identify what’s resonating, and provide the guidance teams need to keep improving.

Our digital media division, TriplePundit, covers business through the lens of solutions journalism and supports brand storytelling through the 3BL Studio.

I’ve now spent five months in a new seat at Cascale, leading industry activation and growth — the team responsible for how we define and deliver value to you as members.

In this post I want to clearly articulate what Corporate membership is actually worth now that Higg Index access is decoupled from Cascale membership, and why its value is differentiated.

Reflections on My First Few Months

Most of my time so far has gone into considering one question: what does Cascale membership actually get you, and is that clear enough? That question sits at the center of everything we do as a membership organization including how we approach our relationship with Worldly, the membership changes we rolled out this year, and how we’re working with our new chief executive officer to sharpen where Cascale goes from here.

An Important Reminder: Cascale and Worldly are Not the Same Organization

This still trips people up, so I think it’s worth restating here. Cascale is a global nonprofit industry alliance: we govern and steward the frameworks and methodologies behind the Higg Index. We convene brands, retailers, manufacturers, and other stakeholders in a pre-competitive space, and turn that alignment and community into collective action at scale. Worldly is a technology company that exclusively delivers data and insights through the Higg Index tools — the platform you log into to actually collect and manage data. Worldly enables measurement; Cascale enables alignment, improvement, advocacy, and collective progress. We work in close partnership, and increasingly you may hold a relationship with each of us separately — but we are not the same purchase, and one is not a subset of the other.

An Honest Look at Our Value Proposition

Until May 1 of this year, there was one Cascale membership, and it came with Worldly platform access bundled in — a single line item that covered both the tool and everything Cascale did on top of it. On May 1, we split that into two distinct membership types: Associate, conferred when you purchase a Worldly plan, and Corporate, a separate commitment with its own dues. Higg Index access now comes directly through Worldly; Cascale membership stands on its own.

For a lot of you, the immediate experience of that change was subtraction: something that used to arrive as part of one membership now shows up as two separate decisions, and in some cases two separate invoices. That’s a legitimate reason to ask what Corporate dues specifically buy you that a Worldly plan doesn’t. So here’s the concrete answer.

Associate membership is the measurement door: it comes with a Worldly plan and gives you credible, comparable data for reporting, benchmarking, and decision making. Corporate membership is a different kind of thing entirely: the improvement and influence door, built around what a data platform isn’t built to deliver. Cascale’s global peer and expert community often means it’s your first call when you’re confronted with a sustainability challenge. Before you launch an initiative or build a new approach from scratch, it’s where you can see what the industry has already developed or aligned on. Corporate membership breaks down into three areas, which we are actively reinforcing with increasing member opportunities and content:

1. Sustainability Performance Acceleration — turning measurement into meaningful improvement. Companies come to Cascale to solve the challenges they cannot solve alone, for one of two reasons. Either they lack a capability and need to learn it, and the fastest, lowest-cost way to acquire it is from peers who have already solved it. Or the challenge is systemic — no single company can shift it — and progress requires collective action. In practice, here’s what it means, with some concrete example outcomes for our members:

• Industry intelligence like the Higg Brand & Retail Module (BRM) Benchmark and upcoming Foundational Environmental Performance (FEP) Dashboard in September 2026;
• Curated resources through our Decarbonization and Higg Facility Environmental Module (FEM) Knowledge Hubs on Cascale Connect;
• Expert guidance through your Member Account Manager, live Office Hours and Ask Me Anything sessions with our experts;
  • As referenced in this Case Study, La Vie en Rose acknowledged technical guidance from Cascale (including a report on forest, land, and agriculture (FLAG) impacts). With 1:1 Cascale support, the company was able to resolve a critical FLAG emissions calculation mid-validation within a 30-day window — clearing their path to SBTi approval.
• Trainings like the ESG Improvement Program and RPP Learning Series;
  • Featured in a recent Source of Good episode, Hanesbrands celebrated development of the “To the Finish Line” program, training thousands of Vietnamese facilities and now expanding to Cambodia.
• Communities of Practice such as the Climate Partnership Peer Exchange;
  • Kiabi was facing one of their hardest decarbonization challenges: Tier 2 suppliers switching coal boilers to biomass, a riskier and more complex fuel than it first appeared. Kiabi turned to Cascale rather than go it alone. Three member-led peer exchanges (44 participants, including Patagonia and Gap) gave Kiabi a pre-competitive space to sharpen its energy policy and a peer-validated reference for supplier engagement, while its input surfaced a Higg FEM emission-factor gap now being fixed through GHG Protocol alignment.
• Collective programs like the Manufacturer Climate Action Program.
  • Through the Manufacturer Climate Action Program (MCAP), member brands were able to converge their supplier engagement programs under one roof to reduce duplication for manufacturers and achieve scale they couldn’t have reached alone. We are now on a path to validated targets representing 1.6M metric tons of CO2e reduction potential across 19 countries, with sponsor brands including Gap Inc., New Balance, and PUMA.

2. Policy Insights & Advocacy — navigating and shaping an evolving policy landscape. In practice, that’s:

• Policy intelligence through our Public Affairs Knowledge Hub and monthly monitoring updates;
  • The monthly monitoring updates and deep-dive reports and webinars are how members stay oriented as the terrain moves. Rather than each company tracking dozens of moving regulatory files itself, members receive developments filtered, interpreted, and prioritized on a predictable cadence — what changed, why it matters, and what to do next. Deep dives on Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR), global water regulation, and the PEFCR go a level beneath the headlines on the regulations most consequential to the industry.
• Practical guidance through policy webinars and deep dives;
  • Members face a thicket of adopted and emerging regulation across the EU, US, and APAC, impossible to track company-by-company. Cascale’s Global Legislative Overview analyzes and maps 21 laws to exactly where the Higg Index already strengthens compliance, so members navigate change with confidence and see where their existing Higg Index data supports their compliance work rather than starting from scratch.
• Stakeholder engagement through regulatory roundtables and consultations; and
• Coordinated advocacy through member-informed position papers.
  • Cascale convenes the Membership & Stakeholder Advisory Council which draws leaders from brands, retailers, and manufacturers to define policy priorities and steer advocacy. On US priorities, we work closely with groups like the American Apparel and Footwear Association (AAFA) to carry member positions into the channels where they land. Manufacturer voice is explicit globally. Manufacturers help shape strategy during pivotal legislative cycles across a number of initiatives. One example is how Cascale member GG International contributed to the Asia-Pacific (APAC) Policy Member Expert Team (MET).

3. Industry Influence & Representation — a hand on the frameworks that will shape your business. We help members shape the future of the industry through governance participation, structured feedback, and collaboration to develop shared priorities, methodologies, and industry approaches that reduce duplication and accelerate progress. For manufacturers notably, this provides a voice in a system historically dominated by brands. In practice, that’s:

• Governance participation through the Board, Advisory Councils, and Task Forces;
  • In a press release, Sapphire Textile Mills’ Iqra Asghar, lead sustainability programmes and strategy, said: “From a manufacturer perspective, it’s critical that sustainability methodologies work where data is collected and improvements are delivered, on the ground. The Technical Advisory Council (TAC) provides an opportunity to bring manufacturing perspectives into strategic conversations, helping ensure that tools are technically sound, fair, and capable of driving meaningful progress across the full value chain.”
• Structured member voice through surveys, check-ins, and caucuses;
  • In a recent Source of Good episode, Amanthi Perera, head of sustainable business at MAS Holdings creditedCascale’s convening with shifting the brand–manufacturer power balance. “The face-to-face discussions have enabled a balance of power between brands and manufacturers — opening honest conversations which were previously hidden under that massive power imbalance.”
• Collaborative industry development work like the FEP and The Industry We Want.
  • In 2024, Cascale and 13 cotton programs, many of whom are members, came together to develop a comprehensive cotton lifecycle assessment methodology and pilot framework.

The strongest position for most organizations combines both: a Worldly plan for measurement, Corporate membership for everything above. That’s the case we should have been making clearly from day one, and it’s the one my team is making now.

A word to our manufacturer members, because your question here is a different one. Most of you first met the Higg Index because a customer asked you to, so “what do the dues add on top of the platform” was never quite your question. You want to know whether the number of audits required of you is manageable, whether the frameworks you’re measured against get built with your reality in mind, or without it. And increasingly, you want a seat at the table in shaping regulation. That’s what Corporate membership is for you: not another measurement layer, but a seat where those methodologies are shaped; and, as MAS Holdings and Sapphire put it: “a way to rebalance a conversation that has been brand-led for most of its history”.

Shaping What’s Next, with Ying Now in the Seat

Ying McGuire joined as CEO on June 1, coming from leading the National Minority Supplier Development Council and, before that, senior global supply chain roles at Dell. In the two months since, a lot of my team’s work has shifted into direct partnership with her, holding every part of our value proposition to one test: could a member get this by simply buying a Worldly plan without joining Cascale at all? If the answer is yes, it doesn’t belong in our pitch for dues — full stop. That’s a harder bar than we’ve held ourselves to before, and it’s the one we’re keeping.

Ying has been clear she wants Cascale’s role judged by whether collaboration across the industry becomes more actionable and measurable, not just better articulated. She’ll lay out more of that agenda at the Annual Meeting in Athens this September, and the membership and value proposition work above is being built as a key part of that agenda.

We’re also going back to where this organization’s thinking started. Back in 2010, Cascale’s founders (then the Sustainable Apparel Coalition) worked with the systems-change consultancy Nexial to map out, node by node, how the industry actually moves — how good data feeds decisions, how decisions create business value, and how business value, government regulation, collective action, and consumer choice reinforce each other into real impact. That map held up: it’s a large part of why this organization scaled the way it did over its first decade. We’ve re-engaged Nexial to redraw it for the next one.

The original System Strategy Map, developed with Nexial in 2010, which guided this organization’s first decade-plus of work.

What I’d Ask of You

Any valued membership requires participation. Cascale literally means collective action at scale. So the value you see in membership compounds the more your organization is represented in the room. Bring a colleague into a Community of Practice, put your name forward for a Task Force before the next governance cycle, invite your sourcing team to the Annual Meeting, or ask your membership manager which of this year’s sessions or programs map to the challenge on your desk right now.

There are benefits to sharing Cascale outside your organization as well. Earlier this year, we revealed our first member referral program. That means your organization gets a discount for a successful Corporate referral. Get in touch with your member activation manager for more details.

We know the increasing pressures your organization is up against. But passivity isn’t an option in the mounting environmental and social issues our industry faces. If membership hasn’t fully resonated this year, I’d still rather hear that directly than have you quietly let it lapse, because lapsing isn’t a neutral choice. It means the frameworks you’ll be measured against get built without your input, you go back to tracking regulatory change one file at a time, and you lose the room where a peer has usually already solved the problem in front of you. Tell us where we’re falling short: bring it to your membership manager, raise it through the Member Advisory Committee, or reply to this post.

We changed a lot this year, and we didn’t get all of it right the first time. But the direction is set, the value is real, and it sharpens from here; starting with what Ying lays out in Athens next month at our Annual Meeting. I’d love for you to be there and hear it live.

Jeremy Lardeau is Cascale’s senior vice president, industry activation and growth

Global energy technology company SLB (NYSE: SLB) today announced it has been selected as strategic reservoir partner for the Havstjerne carbon storage project in the Norwegian North Sea, providing technology and engineering services for the concept and front-end engineering and design (FEED) phases. The Havstjerne project is a large-scale offshore carbon storage development in Norway intended to serve industrial emitters across Europe, operated by Harbour Energy (LSE: HBR) in consortium with Stella Maris CCS, a Yinson Production company.

SLB will coordinate an integrated project scope that connects analysis of the underground storage reservoir with injection well design, subsea infrastructure and plans for monitoring stored CO2 as the Havstjerne partnership develops the project’s technical, cost and schedule basis ahead of a final investment decision. The scope includes concept and FEED studies delivered through close collaboration between SLB and its OneSubsea™ joint venture.

“Carbon storage projects are moving from individual technical studies toward integrated development models that connect the subsurface, wells and offshore infrastructure,” said Gavin Rennick, president of SLB’s New Energy and Industrial business. “Havstjerne demonstrates how SLB can bring together its technology, engineering and project integration capabilities to help customers develop the technical basis needed to advance large-scale carbon storage projects.”

SLB will provide the early engineering study, subsurface and reservoir maturation and wells, while SLB OneSubsea will deliver the concept and FEED of the subsea injection system, comprising the template manifold, all-electric trees, control system, umbilical and distribution system. This integrated approach is intended to improve technical coordination across the storage system and reduce the number of technical and contractual interfaces.

An appraisal well drilled in 2025 confirmed reservoir quality suitable for CO2 injection and storage, providing an important technical basis for the project’s continued development. The Havstjerne project also received 225 million euros from the EU Innovation Fund in 2025 and has selected a low-pressure floating storage and injection concept focused on system reliability, low cost and commercial flexibility.

“Havstjerne is being matured to provide a cost-effective, large-scale offshore CO2 storage for European industrial emitters,” said Mark van Aerssen, Havstjerne project manager. “This integrated approach will help us further define the project’s technical, cost and schedule basis while strengthening coordination across critical interfaces.”

“The Havstjerne project demonstrates how collaboration across the value chain can help advance carbon storage solutions,” said Lars Gunnar Vogt, chief technical officer of Yinson Production. “We believe large-scale, cost-competitive CO2 storage infrastructure will play an important role in serving industrial emitters, and we look forward to continuing our collaboration with Harbour Energy and SLB.”

Key Points:

• SLB was selected as strategic reservoir partner for the concept and front-end engineering and design (FEED) phases of the Havstjerne Carbon Storage Project in the Norwegian North Sea.
• Havstjerne is intended to provide large-scale offshore CO2 storage for European industrial emitters and received 225 million euros from the EU Innovation Fund in 2025.
• SLB will coordinate an integrated scope that includes concept and FEED studies, subsurface and reservoir maturation, wells and the subsea injection system, delivered through close collaboration between SLB and its OneSubsea™ joint venture.
• The integrated work will help the Havstjerne partnership develop the project’s technical, cost and schedule basis ahead of a final investment decision. Havstjerne has selected a low-pressure floating storage and injection concept focused on system reliability, low cost and commercial flexibility.

About SLB

SLB (NYSE: SLB) is a global technology company that has driven energy innovation for 100 years. With a global footprint in more than 100 countries and employees representing almost twice as many nationalities, we work each day on innovating oil and gas, delivering digital at scale, decarbonizing industries, and developing and scaling new energy systems that accelerate the energy transition. Find out more at slb.com.

 

^{Cautionary Statement Regarding Forward-Looking Statements:
This press release contains “forward-looking statements” within the meaning of the U.S. federal securities laws — that is, statements about the future, not about past events. Such statements often contain words such as “expect,” “may,” “can,” “estimate,” “intend,” “anticipate,” “will,” “potential,” “projected” and other similar words. Forward-looking statements address matters that are, to varying degrees, uncertain, such as forecasts or expectations regarding the deployment of, or anticipated benefits of, SLB’s new technologies and partnerships; and improvements in operating procedures and technology. These statements are subject to risks and uncertainties, including, but not limited to, the inability to recognize intended benefits of SLB’s strategies, initiatives or partnerships; and other risks and uncertainties detailed in SLB’s most recent Forms 10-K, 10-Q and 8-K filed with or furnished to the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission. If one or more of these or other risks or uncertainties materialize (or the consequences of such a development changes), or should underlying assumptions prove incorrect, actual outcomes may vary materially from those reflected in our forward-looking statements. The forward-looking statements speak only as of the date of this press release, and SLB disclaims any intention or obligation to update publicly or revise such statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.}

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As previously seen on the CSRHub blog.

By Bahar Gidwani

This collaboration brings together CSRHub’s global ESG data products and ratings platform with SG Analytics’ AI-driven sustainability advisory expertise to help organizations accelerate their ESG maturity.

CSRHub is pleased to announce a new strategic partnership with SG Analytics (SGA), a Straive company, a leading AI-powered research and analytics firm. The partnership combines CSRHub’s extensive ESG ratings and benchmarking tools with SG Analytics’ specialized AI operationalization for ESG data, research, advisory and reporting services, offering clients a more complete pathway from ESG insight to ESG action.

“Data alone doesn’t drive transformation, it’s what organizations do with that data that matters,” said Bahar Gidwani, co-founder and CTO, CSRHub. “By partnering with SG Analytics, we’re connecting our ratings and benchmarking capabilities with a team that can help companies translate insight into a concrete ESG strategy, reporting practice, and guide for improvement. It’s a natural fit for clients looking to move from measurement to meaningful progress.”

“SG Analytics is excited to join forces with CSRHub,” said Jayaprakash Mallikarjuna, Chief Operating Officer at SG Analytics. “As part of Straive, we bring an AI-first approach to ESG research and advisory. Combining that with CSRHub’s trusted data and ratings ecosystem lets us offer clients a seamless, end-to-end ESG experience, spanning data sourcing and standardization with full traceability, benchmarking against peers, and strategy development through confident progress reporting.”

Why It Matters

As regulatory requirements and stakeholder expectations around sustainability continue to expand, organizations increasingly need both reliable ESG data and expert guidance to act on it. This partnership is intended to give companies a single, connected path from understanding where they stand today to building and executing a credible ESG strategy for tomorrow.

CSRHub helps you compare performance against peers with a consensus view, not one source. We identify the factors shaping your ratings and help you focus improvement efforts where they will have the greatest impact. For more information, we welcome hearing from you. Please contact us here.

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About CSRHub

CSRHub provides access to the world’s largest corporate social responsibility and sustainability database, powered by expert consensus sustainability ratings, information, and tools. Clients use CSRHub’s decisive data platform for global benchmarking, supply and value chain risk assessment and compliance readiness solutions. Founded in 2007, CSRHub covers 62,000 public and private companies, and provides ESG performance scores on 42,000 companies from 134 industries in 158 countries. Our Big Data platform uses algorithms to aggregate, normalize and weight ESG metrics from 1,000 sources, including the leading analyst raters, to produce a strong consensus signal on corporate sustainability performance. For more information, visit www.CSRHub.com. CSRHub is a B Corporation.

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About SG Analytics (a Straive Company)

SG Analytics (SGA), a Straive company, is a global leader in data, analytics, and AI consulting – specializing in turning data into actionable insights and operationalizing AI at scale. SGA leverages AI-powered research capabilities to deliver ESG data and insights across 20,000+ companies in 16+ languages, controversy monitoring, exclusionary screening, and compliance mapping against global regulations and sustainability frameworks.

A Great Place to Work® certified company, SGA’s 1,400+ experts operate across the U.S.A, U.K and India. Recognized by Gartner, Everest Group, ISG, and featured in the Deloitte Technology Fast 50 India 2024 and Financial Times & Statista APAC 2025 High Growth Companies, SGA is redefining decision-making at the intersection of data, innovation, and AI deployment.

For more information, visit www.sganalytics.com and www.straive.com

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Bahar Gidwani is CTO and Co-founder of CSRHub. He has built and run large technology-based businesses for many years. Bahar holds a CFA, worked on Wall Street with Kidder, Peabody, and with McKinsey & Co. Bahar has consulted to a number of major companies and currently serves on the board of several software and Web companies. He has an MBA from Harvard Business School and an undergraduate degree in physics and astronomy. He plays bridge, races sailboats, and is based in New York City.