Tag: 3BL

In recognition of his relentless dedication to the company’s values and his focus on ensuring Southwire is an extraordinary place to work, Southwire’s President and CEO, Rich Stinson, was recently recognized with the 2025 Pioneer Award.

Presented at the company’s annual Include Summit, this prestigious award honors someone who has boldly blazed new trails to drive the value of inclusion at Southwire.

Rich’s vision and unwavering commitment helped ignite transformative advancement in the development of Southwire’s values – empowerment, trust, consistency and inclusion. His pioneering spirit has not only opened doors, but laid foundation, process and opportunity for growth and a future where all team members can thrive.

“When I think about Rich and why he was the obvious choice for the Pioneer Award, there are countless reasons,” said Cara Herzog, Chief Inclusion Officer. “He has made such a meaningful impact on our industry alongside the many ways we’ve seen incredible growth at Southwire. Rich has led us through transformative change and propelled us forward. He established our core values, and in doing so, gave us a lens to view not just what we do, but how we do it.”

Southwire’s annual Include Summit is a reflection of the company’s values and a celebration of its commitment to inclusion. It welcomes team members across the organization from all locations and functions who are leading with inclusion through employee resource groups (ERGs), Giving Back, mentorship and more. The gathering also emphasizes Southwire’s ongoing commitment to sustainability – the 2025 summit received the company’s internal sustainable event certification.

In honor of the company’s 75th anniversary, this year’s Summit evolved into a hybrid month-long experience with in-person and virtual opportunities, resulting in approximately 2,000 team members engaged, including 400 in-person attending at the dynamic, two-day gathering in Carrollton, GA on October 29 and 30.

Stinson is the second recipient of the Pioneer Award, following last year’s inaugural award winner, Charlie Murrah, EVP and Chief Supply Chain Officer, who was the first executive sponsor of the company’s Women’s Network ERG and a continued advocate and strong example of Southwire’s values in action.

Murrah presented Stinson with this year’s award at the company’s 2025 Include Summit on Wednesday, October 29.

“The Pioneer Award has been the most treasured recognition of my career, and it was an absolute honor to present Rich with this year’s award. Receiving this award means is that you live by your values – the right values,” said Murrah. “Rich gets involved – he plays the game, and he plays it with passion. He has candor, commitment and drive along with a will to win, but he also has a sense of fair play. We would not be anywhere near where we are today as a company without the leadership of Rich Stinson.”

Stinson, who recently announced his retirement, shared his deep appreciation for the Southwire team and acknowledged the role each team member plays in shaping and growing the culture and values of the organization.

“When I think about Southwire, I think about our two P&Ls. Our first P&L – Profits and Losses, is incredibly important as we continue to sustain our success. Equally important is the second P&L – People and Lives – we want to be an extraordinary place to work,” said Stinson. “It is our people and our values that truly set our company apart, and it is up to each of us and the choices we make that will lead us toward growth and a successful future. I am honored to receive this award and am incredibly proud of the work of our team that I know will continue in the years to come.”

In honor of this recognition and the evening’s keynote speaker, veteran hero and Paralympian Melissa Stockwell, a $10,000 donation is being made to Tunnel to Towers in Stinson’s name. Tunnels to Towers focuses on honoring fallen first responders and military heroes by building mortgage-free smart homes for catastrophically injured veterans and first responders, providing mortgage-free homes to Gold Star and fallen first responder families and working to end veteran homelessness.

A full recap of Southwire’s 2025 Include Summit will be shared in the coming weeks. Stay tuned to the Southwire newsroom for updates.

For more information about Southwire’s continued commitment to inclusion, or to read the company’s latest Inclusion Report, visit https://www.southwire.com/inclusion.

COP30 presents a pivotal moment for the climate sector

COP30 is set to be a landmark event in the global fight against climate change, coinciding with the 10-year anniversary of the Paris Agreement and the five-year countdown to the 2030 interim deadline for achieving climate goals by 2050. Serving as a crucial platform for establishing a roadmap to 2030, COP30 will also shine a spotlight on the Amazon rainforest, which is home to 60% of the world’s largest intact forest and plays a vital role in global biodiversity and climate regulation.

As the climate crisis accelerates and geopolitical complexities emerge, KPMG has worked to prepare a thoughtful program and presence that can help businesses better understand their nature- and climate-related risks as we work together to tackle climate change. Every business has a part to play and we want to help with this critical endeavor in any way we can.

Explore and register for the KPMG at COP30 program today

By Cristina del Canto

The Edison Electric Institute recently announced the winners of the 2025 Corporate Citizenship Award during its Powering Engagement conference. EEI is a national association that represents all U.S. investor-owned electric companies. The award, presented annually and selected by a panel of executives, recognizes EEI member companies for innovative programs that support the growth and development of the communities they serve.

Entergy received the award in the volunteerism category for its “Greening Mardi Gras” initiative that seeks to create a more sustainable Mardi Gras celebration in New Orleans.

“We are grateful to be named the 2025 EEI Corporate Citizenship Award winner for volunteerism,” said Patty Riddlebarger, Entergy vice president of corporate social responsibility. “Our partnership with Grounds Krewe to create a more sustainable carnival celebration reflects Entergy’s dedication to fostering the growth, development, and well-being of the communities we serve. By embracing initiatives that honor tradition and promote environmental awareness, we are proudly preserving the vibrant spirit of Mardi Gras while reducing the environmental impact.”

Each year, nearly 2.6 million pounds of waste is left behind during the Mardi Gras season, clogging storm drains and littering the streets of New Orleans. Six years ago, that narrative began to change. With the formation of Grounds Krewe, and in partnership with our employees, Entergy took action to be part of the solution.

“Our member companies don’t just power American homes and businesses—they empower communities,” said EEI President and CEO Drew Maloney. “This year’s award winners reflect our industry’s deep commitment to improving customers’ lives and ensuring the local communities we serve thrive. I’m proud to recognize their extraordinary efforts.”

As the only Fortune 500 company headquartered in New Orleans, we embraced this challenge, becoming Grounds Krewe’s first and longest-standing corporate partner. Our employees partnered with Grounds Kreweto help recycle more than 50,000 pounds of waste each year. Grounds Krewe also provided nearly 800,000 sustainable throws to Mardi Gras organizations last year, which helps to reduce environmental impacts on the city and surrounding communities.

Through initiatives like this one that honor tradition while promoting environmental stewardship, we’re committed to sustainability programs that better our communities.

View original content here.

Published by Action Against Hunger. 

Spokesperson available. 

Contact media@actionagainsthunger.org for inquiries. 

• The new IPC (Integrated Phase Classification for Food Security) confirms that 375,000 people are in catastrophic conditions (IPC Phase 5), facing extreme hunger and death.
• Eighty percent of health facilities in Sudan are damaged or out of service, exacerbating the nutritional and health crisis.
• Humanitarian access is virtually blocked in the most affected areas, with supply routes cut off and frequent looting.
• Ninety-eight percent of people in emergency or disaster situations are concentrated in Darfur and Kordofan, where conflict and humanitarian blockades are exacerbating the crisis. 

NEW YORK, November 3, 2025 /3BL/ – Action Against Hunger expresses its deep concern at the findings of the latest Integrated Food Security Phase Classification (IPC) analysis, which confirms the existence of famine (Phase 5) in the towns of El Fasher and Kadugli, and warns of the imminent risk of famine in 20 additional areas of Sudan. This is the second time in less than a year that the IPC’s Famine Review Committee (FRC) has confirmed famine in parts of Sudan.

According to the report, more than 21 million people face critical levels of food insecurity, and at least 375,000 are in catastrophic conditions, facing extreme hunger, acute malnutrition and death. The situation is particularly dire in the regions of Darfur and Kordofan, where armed conflict, mass displacement and restrictions on humanitarian access have collapsed food and health systems.

Action Against Hunger’s director in Sudan, Samy Guessabi, says: “Sudan is experiencing a silent famine that threatens to become a total catastrophe. El Fasher and Kadugli are under siege, with no access to food, water or medical care. Families are eating boiled leaves, peanut shells and animal feed. This situation is intolerable.”

“The international community cannot look the other way. We need an immediate ceasefire, unrestricted humanitarian access and urgent mobilization of funds to save lives. Every day that passes without action is a death sentence for thousands of people,” adds Guessabi.

Conflict, Displacement and High Food prices as Drivers of the Situation

The conflict in Sudan has forced millions of people to flee their homes, destroyed essential infrastructure — including 80 per cent of health facilities — and severely restricted humanitarian access. Although 2.6 million people have returned to their homes, more than 9.6 million remain displaced. At the same time, the food crisis is exacerbated by sustained price increases, crop losses and economic collapse, leaving many families unable to access basic foodstuffs.

The latest data reveals that more than 60% of the localities assessed have acute global malnutrition rates above 15%, with some areas of Darfur exceeding the 30% threshold, considered an indicator of famine. The lack of data in areas such as Dilling, Al Sunut, and Habila prevents accurate classification, but it is feared that conditions are also critical.

Action Against Hunger urgently calls on donors, international organizations and political actors to prioritize Sudan on the global humanitarian agenda. The organization insists that only a coordinated, sustained response focused on the most affected communities can prevent an even greater tragedy.

Action Against Hunger in Sudan

Action Against Hunger works in Sudan providing humanitarian assistance in contexts of extreme conflict, focusing its efforts on food security, nutrition, health, water and sanitation. The organization responds to famine and acute malnutrition through food distribution programs, livelihood support, cash transfers and the strengthening of local systems such as community kitchens and mutual aid groups. It also promotes protection, humanitarian access and civil rights advocacy.

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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.

This article is authored by Scott Tew, Global Head and VP, Sustainability Strategy, Trane Technologies.

Across Climate Week NYC 2025, leaders from finance, operations, supply chain and technology aligned around a core sustainability playbook: set clear goals, invest in both proven levers and new approaches, measure what matters and share what you learn so others can move faster. When we treat sustainability as a core business strategy, we unlock value and accelerate growth. Below are seven key themes that surfaced during our Climate Week conversations — and how they translate into practical steps organizations can take now to create business value.

1. Sustainability is strategy — and it maximizes ROI

At Climate Week NYC the message was clear — sustainability is not an add-on; it’s an operational strategy that generates strong returns. Participants emphasized ROI proof points like measurable efficiency gains, lower energy spend, risk reduction and resilient operations. As our CEO Dave Regnery says: “Just because it’s sustainable doesn’t mean it costs more.”

Clear business cases that tie decarbonization to cash flow, risk reduction and asset value generate better sustainability outcomes. At Trane Technologies, we see this play out with our own customers: organizations that electrify, optimize with AI-powered digital solutions and eliminate energy waste are seeing lower operating costs, improved asset performance and stronger resilience.

2. Every role is a sustainability role

The CFO has entered the room — alongside operations, legal and supply chain. Successful organizations are treating decarbonization as an enterprise-wide endeavor, not a silo. The Chief Sustainability Officer role has evolved, too: This crucial function encompasses both business leader and strategist, while often orchestrating execution and reporting. And the board plays a critical role in translating oversight into action. Educated and informed directors create an environment of accountability for sustainability goals.

Across our own organization, we see the impact of this cross-functional sustainability focus daily. Decisions get better and outcomes improve when multiple disciplines are at the table. And the flywheel effect builds when teams leverage sustainability wins to generate more momentum.

3. Counting what counts — the new math of sustainability

Traditional ROI models can miss the full value of decarbonization. Climate Week conversations emphasized a broader equation that includes reduced energy waste, resilience, market differentiation, compliance readiness, risk management and reputation.

The takeaway for leaders is to expand the valuation lens. The new sustainability equation integrates resilience, operational confidence and reputational benefits into the sustainability calculus. Add the financial impact of customer preference and talent attraction for companies that can show verified progress, and sustainability investments move from “nice to have” to “must do.”

4. Sustainability is a team sport — share to scale

A powerful theme was collaboration over competition around sustainability challenges. Early movers are sharing technologies and approaches so others can follow more quickly. That waterfall effect is how markets transform.

What does that look like in practice? Publishing playbooks and performance data. Structuring pilots so that outcomes are transparent. Partnering with others to align incentive structures. The impact is powerful — when one organization de-risks a climate solution, others can quickly follow, accelerating market transformation and driving growth.

5. The power of procurement: catalyze a low-carbon value chain

Climate Week participants highlighted that procurement is one of the fastest ways to drive outcomes. Setting clear specifications for alternative materials, energy performance, embodied carbon and circularity outcomes can shift entire value chains. That change rewrites decarbonization incentives, helping scale lower-carbon materials and manufacturing practices.

Within our own business, we are seeing customers incorporate decarbonization targets into their buying decisions — not just purchase price. And through our own purchasing, we’re designing for circularity practices that integrate low carbon materials at the design stage, transforming purchasing power into a lever for innovation and decarbonization.

6. New business models that create value at every stage

Conversations also highlighted how sustainability can inspire new business models that impact every part of the value chain. From circularity practices that unlock value, to AI and advanced controls that optimize when and how equipment runs, the results generate better business and climate outcomes.

AI-enabled controls are a prime example. When systems know when and how best to run, they can automatically shift loads, increase efficiency and improve reliability while lowering emissions. Circularity practices — like designing for longer life and refurbishment — keep materials in use and reduce environmental impact. These are pragmatic, proven approaches that compound value over time. And they’re just the beginning, as the sustainability conversation shifts from reducing emissions, to redesigning business models to decarbonize and deliver growth.

7. Climate tech is advancing the AI economy — and making energy smarter 

As AI development accelerates, data centers are becoming both essential infrastructure and significant sources of wasted energy in the form of heat. The right technology can capture and repurpose that heat for communities, providing energy for nearby facilities like schools and homes, while strengthening grid resilience. At the same time, AI-enabled controls are optimizing the very resource AI depends on — energy — by improving how heating and cooling systems run, and equipping teams with intelligent tools to reduce energy waste.

The big picture: the quickest wins in autonomous decarbonization in the high-tech sector will come from eliminating energy waste through efficient thermal management, and then meeting the need that remains with cleaner, intelligent systems.

From New York to next steps

The prevailing tone throughout Climate Week NYC was pragmatic optimism — progress over perfection. The true value of the week was not the number of panels or the breadth of the guest list. It was the collective momentum to act with practical solutions that deliver results and drive growth. Climate Week reminds us that sustainability leadership is built through repetition. Plan, pilot, prove, scale. That is how we turn sustainability strategy into outcomes that drive growth.

At Trane Technologies, we will keep advancing efficient, electrified and digital solutions that help customers reduce their carbon impacts and strengthen their operations. The stakes are high, and the opportunity is real. As we return to our daily routines after the energy and vibrant conversations of Climate Week, let’s keep the momentum moving. Join us as we continue delivering both decarbonization and business value, one step at a time.

Hear from our CFO on unlocking the ROI of sustainability on our Healthy Spaces podcast.

Explore careers that unlock the ROI of sustainability at Trane Technologies.

LINCOLN, Neb., November 3, 2025 /3BL/ – Graphic Packaging International, a global leader in sustainable consumer packaging, is partnering with the Arbor Day Foundation to help conserve the environment and protect forest resources.

Graphic Packaging will support strategic, large-scale reforestation and urban forestry initiatives with the Arbor Day Foundation. These efforts will help to expand green spaces in the communities where the company operates and support restoration projects in areas identified as high priority through science-based assessments. Through the partnership, Graphic Packaging employees worldwide will lead and participate in tree planting events, distribute seedlings and trees in their communities, and support global reforestation projects.

“Graphic Packaging’s commitment to environmental stewardship and its global network of engaged communities helps us to meaningfully carry out our mission of inspiring people to plant, nurture, and celebrate trees around the world,” said Dan Lambe, chief executive of the Arbor Day Foundation. “This partnership will help restore vital forest ecosystems and bolster resilience in the places that need it most.”

Forests provide clean air and water for more than half of the world’s population, and urban trees can lower neighborhood temperatures by up to 10°F. The Arbor Day Foundation’s Forest Priority Index (FPI) and Nature Priority Index (NPI) tools will help guide Graphic Packaging’s project selections. The FPI identifies forest regions where reforestation will have the highest impact on climate, biodiversity and community resilience. The NPI—created by NatureQuant, one of the Foundation’s technology partners—helps to highlight census tracts in urban areas where trees can most improve human health and tree access.

The Arbor Day Foundation collaboration marks a flagship initiative under RENEW, Graphic Packaging’s social impact program. RENEW is designed to drive meaningful change in and around communities where Graphic Packaging operates across key areas, including renewing the environment.

“Enhancing the communities where we live and work is a key part of Vision 2030, and protecting the environment is essential to strong, healthy communities,” said Graphic Packaging President and Chief Executive Officer Michael Doss. “Graphic Packaging employees have distributed 130,000 trees since 2010, and we’re proud to partner with the Arbor Day Foundation to build on our history of giving back to communities and the planet.”

About the Arbor Day Foundation 

The Arbor Day Foundation is a global nonprofit inspiring people to plant, nurture, and celebrate trees. They foster a growing community of more than 1 million leaders, innovators, planters, and supporters united by their bold belief that a more hopeful future can be shaped through the power of trees. For more than 50 years, they’ve answered critical need with action, planting more than half a billion trees alongside their partners.

And this is only the beginning.

The Arbor Day Foundation is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit pursuing a future where all life flourishes through the power of trees. Learn more at arborday.org.

About Graphic Packaging International

Graphic Packaging designs and produces consumer packaging made primarily from renewable or recycled materials. An industry leader in innovation, the Company is committed to reducing the environmental footprint of consumer packaging. Graphic Packaging operates a global network of design and manufacturing facilities serving the world’s most widely recognized brands in food, beverage, foodservice, household, and other consumer products. Learn more at www.graphicpkg.com.

David Stalls thought the dangerous heart rhythm problem that plagued his health was a curse—until he turned treating it into a new career.

“It’s gotten me to where I am today so I’m actually thankful,” he laughed.

An emergency room nurse in Tennessee, Stalls lived with the chaotic, fluttering heart rhythms of atrial fibrillation (Afib) for years. He knew Afib increased his risk of stroke and heart failure.

“I was in and out of Afib. Mostly out. So I just tried to forget about it. But after a while I couldn’t sleep and I didn’t have enough energy to even play with our kids in the yard,” he said.

The Afib episodes became longer and more severe. Doctors twice shocked his heart back to normal rhythm but the irregular heartbeats soon returned. In the spring of 2016, doctors at the Memphis hospital where he worked performed an ablation using Medtronic cryoablation technology.

Life changing moment 

The ablation changed Stalls’ life in more ways than one.

“I hadn’t fully realized just how much Afib had affected me until I started feeling better,” he said. “I could run and play soccer with the kids. I felt great and I still do.”

Doctors told him afterward that the first step in the procedure was to make a digital map of his heart’s electrical activity. They invited him to step out of the ER some time and watch a case. “I floated over to the lab one afternoon and watched from the control room,” he said. “I had no idea what the mappers were doing but it was cool. I remember thinking ‘I can do that.’”

So he did—turning the treatment for his heart problem into his life’s work.

Passionate about helping others

Stalls leveraged his nursing background and a recommendation from a doctor he knew at his hospital and got hired by a Medtronic competitor to become a cardiac mapper. The training took a year.

“It was intense. The hardest training I’ve ever taken,” he said.

Stalls spent the first five years of his mapping career at a Medtronic competitor. He mapped thousands of hearts and worked with dozens of electrophysiologists—including Dr. David Lan, the same EP who performed his ablation in 2016.

”David has mapped at least 100 procedures with me,” said Dr. Lan. “He’s an excellent mapper. He’s passionate about helping people. He’s a very hard worker and he’s always available. I’m very proud of him.”

Technology Leap

In 2024, Stalls began hearing from mapping colleagues about the Medtronic Affera™ Mapping and Ablation System and accompanying Sphere-9™ Catheter. He said word in the industry was the system would “be a game changer,” and the more he heard the more interested he became. He left the competitor, signed on with Medtronic and now maps with the Affera system.

“It’s really amazing. The system is intuitive, smart and simple,” he said. “The physician can insert one catheter (Sphere 9) just one time. It can map, ablate with either radio frequency (RF) or pulsed field ablation (PFA), and verify that we either got it right or have to ablate further. Other systems have to remove the catheter and put in another one for each of those steps. The Affera system is an incredible step forward.”

What do mappers do? 

Today, his days start around 7:00 A.M. at Vanderbilt University Medical Center in Nashville. Staff prepares the electrophysiology lab while Stalls sets up his mapping equipment. The first patient is typically in the room by 7:30 A.M.

“Sometimes they ask questions and I can say ‘I’ve been in your shoes,’ and I can share with patients how ablation helped me,” Stalls said. “It’s a nice feeling to be able to help them that way.”

The procedure begins. The electrophysiologist (EP) inserts a catheter into the patient’s groin, navigates it into the heart and they begin “mapping.” Electrodes on the catheter measure the voltage and the electrical activation time on all the tissue they touch, creating a 3D image of the heart’s electrical activity in a rainbow of bright colors. “Each color tells us something. Purple means healthy tissue. Red means not so healthy. And a lot of things in between,” Stalls said.

The EP and mapper work together during the case while the EP identifies spots that require ablation. The procedure can take 45 to 60 minutes, with constant communication back and forth between the EP, the mapper and other members of the team. It’s a relationship built on experience and trust.

“Mappers usually work with a lot of different physicians,” said Dr. Lan. “So they see different techniques and bring that experience to provide the technical knowledge, supporting every physician to treat our patients. There’s a lot of teamwork.”

“The mapper needs to know electrophysiology and the mapping technology inside and out,” Stalls added. “Our job is to advise and consult and focus exclusively on the mapping and ablating technology. Sometimes I’ll see things the EPs don’t because they have to pay attention to several other things during the procedure.”

Hospitals are moving so quickly to the Affera system that some have the technology in place but not enough mappers to operate them. So experienced mappers sometimes travel to fill the void until hundreds of new, permanent mappers come online. Stalls mapped at hospitals in New York, Chicago, Cleveland, Austin, TX and Milwaukee in the last few months. No matter where he goes, he still keeps images from the mapping of his own heart on his phone—a regular reminder of where he’s been, and what’s ahead.

“I’m just really grateful,” he said. “I felt cursed by Afib but it’s turned out to be a blessing. When a patient comes in with Afib and leaves in normal rhythm, it’s just incredibly rewarding to be a part of something like that.”

Interested in becoming a Medtronic mapper? Check out our careers page.

See how this new technology innovation is fueling a hiring boom at Medtronic.

Important Safety Information

Risks may include serious complications and injuries to cardiac and other body structures. The Sphere-9™ catheter and Affera™ mapping and ablation system, PulseSelect™ pulsed field ablation system, and Arctic Front Advance™ over-the-wire balloon catheter should only be used under the supervision of a physician that performs cardiac ablation procedures.

MANILA, Philippines, November 3, 2025 /3BL/ – Federal Express Corporation, one of the world’s largest express transportation companies, has been recognized as one of the awardees of the HR Asia Best Companies to Work for in Asia 2025. Organized by HR Asia, a leading publication for HR professionals across the region, the awards program is judged using HR Asia’s proprietary Total Engagement Assessment Model (TEAM), which measures employee engagement, workplace culture, and HR practices. In addition, FedEx also received the Sustainable Workplace Award and the Tech Empowerment Award, reinforcing its achievements in sustainability, innovation, and employee well-being.

The HR Asia Best Companies to Work for in Asia Awards is one of the region’s most prestigious employer recognition programs. It honors organizations with outstanding HR practices, high levels of employee engagement, and strong workplace cultures. The program attracts participation from Fortune 500 companies, multinational corporations, and top employers across Asia, making the triple win of FedEx a significant achievement in the competitive landscape of corporate excellence.

The Sustainable Workplace Award recognizes organizations that champion long-term employee well-being, promote environmental responsibility, and implement sustainable business practices within their workplace culture. The Tech Empowerment Award celebrates companies that leverage technology to enhance the employee experience, drive innovation, and enable a more connected and agile workforce.

“This triple win is a powerful testament to the dedication of our people and the strength of the FedEx People-Service-Profit philosophy,” said Maribeth Espinosa, managing director of FedEx Philippines. “Our Purple Promise is to deliver an outstanding FedEx experience at every touchpoint, starting with how we support and care for our team members. These prestigious recognitions inspire us to foster an inclusive workplace culture, accelerate the adoption of cutting-edge digital technologies that empower our people, and drive sustainable practices that benefit our communities and the environment.”

More than a recognition of workplace excellence, the awards reflect the commitment of FedEx to driving progress for communities and the environment. Its people-first agenda was further recognized at the HR Excellence Awards 2025 Philippines, where FedEx secured Gold in Excellence in Cross-Generational Workforce Management and Leadership Development and Silver in Excellence in Best HR Team (Multinational Company). These distinctions demonstrate the breadth and depth of FedEx’s leadership in human capital development.

To learn more about FedEx solutions, visit the FedEx Philippines website.

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

Members of a Georgia-focused funding collaborative recently visited Athens Land Trust (ALT) during a month-long tour of Drawdown Georgia Climate Solutions & Equity Grants awarded throughout the state. ALT received a two-year, $200,000 grant in 2023-24 to conduct energy efficiency improvements and workforce development programs in previously disinvested neighborhoods in Athens-Clarke County, Georgia.

The Athens Energy Opportunity project expands on two existing initiatives launched by ALT in the Historic West Broad community; the West Broad Neighborhood Sustainability Project and the Young Urban Builders (YUB) workforce development program. 

The West Broad Neighborhood Sustainability Project addresses barriers to low-income and historically disadvantaged communities in accessing energy efficiency, weatherization, and renewable energy benefits. By pursuing this effort in conjunction with capacity building, impacted communities are now poised to take ownership and assume leadership in the direction of current and future opportunities to implement energy efficiency, weatherization, renewable energy, and other services in their neighborhoods. Working with YUB, the implementation of these community improvements have opened pathways to careers for impacted youth in the field of sustainable building, energy efficiency, and solar energy.

The West Broad Sustainability Project was expanded into North Athens and East Athens in 2024 with help from the Drawdown Georgia grant.

YUB is a paid job skills training program for Athens youth between the ages of 16 and 25. The program was started in 2018 as a way to address youth unemployment and perform owner-occupied rehabilitation for community homes. YUB is designed to provide job training and experience while working on community projects and aiding in neighborhood revitalization. 

ALT provides land protected in perpetuity, and affordable housing to allow first time homeowners from previously disinvested communities access to their goals for homeownership. In doing so, they are also investing in keeping communities in West Broad, North Athens and East Athens together, and defying patterns of gentrification.

New home clients are not only provided with affordable housing opportunities, they are encouraged and empowered to take action and help other neighbors navigate similar experiences through leadership, education, advocacy and collective action. The new Earthcraft homes that ALT offers in legacy communities are unique and attractive in design, varied in size and top of the line for energy efficiency. Most of all, with the help of federal, state and local grants and rebates that ALT carefully manages, the homes are comfortable and affordable, allowing first time homebuyers to purchase new homes for a fraction of the real cost.

ALT also offers energy efficiency upgrades for existing homes in the same neighborhoods. They help legacy residents protect their land and their homes, and they help retrofit and weatherize existing homes in the same communities where they oversee new builds; however, as they’ve prepared to weatherize older housing stock to help reduce energy burdens, they’ve identified many of the target homes that need significant and costly repairs, outside the scope of ALT’s weatherization grants and budget. 

The Drawdown Georgia Climate Solutions & Equity Grant helped fill this void. Grant dollars were bundled, allowing ALT and its contractors to make repairs for health and safety prior to weatherization. In many cases, this extra boost has made the difference between losing a home and keeping one for legacy residents. Common repairs include flooding, holes in roofs and floors, moldy interiors, rotten support beams, asbestos remediation and more. ALT also helps elderly residents with mobility friendly access features like ramps, and they often add central air and heat systems, where none previously existed.

Community Farming in the Heart of Athens

In addition to housing projects, ALT runs a community agriculture program, right in the heart of the city. Through a conservation easement, they were able to help the Williams family protect their farm into perpetuity, ensuring that it would never be developed. Once the family members were no longer farming the land, they arranged for ALT to run a community farm. Williams Farm is managed by ALT employees, but relies mainly on its Young Urban Farmers (YUF) program and community volunteer groups to complete the day to day tasks. In 2024, Williams Farm produced more than 9,000 lbs of produce that was provided to more than 40 high poverty-risk families identified through the Athens-Clarke County elementary schools.

Challenges for the Future

The pressure for big development continues to surround and slowly encroach on legacy communities in Athens, so the importance of educating citizens on their rights and their collective impact is crucial. With federal funding expected to continue to contract in the near future, ALT is poised to expand their reach for additional funding from foundations, corporate giving and individual giving. With the increased occurrence of extreme weather events, and the number of aging legacy homes in the communities they serve, ALT will need to retrofit many more homes with new electrical upgrades and HVAC systems to combat the effects of extreme heat. They will also need to be prepared to address more water and wind intrusion issues due to inland impacts from tropical storms and hurricanes.

The grant ALT received from Drawdown Georgia was supported by a funding cohort that included The Kendeda Fund, The R. Howard Dobbs, Jr. Foundation and its Dobbs Fund, The Ray C. Anderson Foundation, The Sapelo Foundation and The Wilbur & Hilda Glenn Family Foundation.

Click here to read a story about Former U.S. Energy Secretary Jennifer Granholm from the Biden Administration, visiting homes in 2023 in the West Broad community. The resident that she interviewed was Bennie Tillman, one of ALT’s Community Advisory Board members, a legacy resident, and a recipient of repairs and upgrades through the West Broad Sustainability Project, enhanced by the Drawdown Georgia grant.

Watch a video featuring Secretary Granholm and Bennie Tillman here.

About Athens Land Trust

The mission of Athens Land Trust is to improve quality of life for all by preserving, protecting, and strengthening the fabric of the community through education and the stewardship of land for purposes of affordable housing, conservation, agriculture, and economic development. They respond to community-identified needs and build individual and collective power among historically marginalized people. 

Originally published in Principal Financial Group 2024 Sustainability Report

Leadership and development

We encourage employees to expand their knowledge, build new skills, and continuously develop by providing a variety of opportunities that best suit their needs. This includes formal development opportunities, experiential and on-the-go education, and professional relationship building.

Our approach

We offer employees a wide array of development opportunities including new hire onboarding and ongoing role-specific training that includes asynchronous and synchronous learning opportunities, simulation and role-play, videos, and e-learning courses.

New leaders in the U.S. experience 20 hours of onboarding related to being an effective and inclusive leader, and we offer numerous ways for leaders to continue to refine their leadership skills over the course of their career.

Employees can engage in learning within a broad range of topics, such as growing technical skills, enabling high-performing teams, and building inclusion and career development capabilities. Employees have access to sessions focused on life skills through our EAP provider.

Short-term growth assignments are also available to learn and apply skills outside their formal role. Additional opportunities exist for role rotations, job shadowing, mentoring, and pursuing further education or skills training.

We also offer a collegiate internship program and a variety of rotational programs for recent graduates.

Leaders provide feedback to employees and engage them in reflection and development planning annually. We promote a culture that encourages employees to reflect on their performance, provide feedback to their peers, and share development recommendations to their managers.

Learn more on our careers site

Our actions and performance in 2024

Progress on our goals

We continue to find ways to expand access to and engagement in the core development programs we offer.

By the end of 2025, we aim to:

• Increase overall employee participation in core enterprise learning and development programs by 15%.
• Capture and centrally manage engagement data for 100% of our core enterprise learning and development programs in a common location, positioning us to better analyze key business outcomes based on our findings.
• Make 50% of core enterprise learning and development programming available in Spanish.
• Cross-train facilitators on 50% of core enterprise learning and development programming.

In 2024, we made significant progress toward these goals.

• 75% of core programming is available in Spanish (exceeding our goal of 50%).
• We attained our goal of cross-training facilitators on 50% of our core programming.
• We’ve made progress on our goal surrounding learning data. One hundred percent of our core program engagement data is captured, and we’re on track to have the data centrally managed by the end of 2025.
• We’re below target for our participation goal in core programming. Participation across all programs decreased an average of 23% in 2024.

We are continuing to market our programs and align them with business and employee priorities to help increase participation in these programs. Additionally, as we enhance our engagement tracking capabilities, we will also refine our targets to ensure they are aligned with the realities of our business and employee needs.

Learning and growth opportunities

In 2024, our employees participated in 92,924 hours of voluntary learning and development, which is equal to about 4.7 hours per employee. Leaders specifically engaged in 13,382 hours of voluntary learning and development in 2024.

In 2024, approximately 162 employees participated in our educational assistance program that offers employees financial assistance with their job-related educational pursuits. In 2024, this totaled over $993,799 in investment by the organization.

We hired 219 interns in 2024 and continued our focus on early and mid-level career opportunities. Our conversion rate for interns to full-time roles was 69%.¹

• 13,382: hours leaders spent in voluntary learning and development in 2024

We have partnerships with a wide range of organizations, including Jobs for America’s Graduates (iJAG), Girls Who Invest, Sponsors for Educational Opportunity, the Organization of Latino Actuaries (OLA), the Association of Latino Professionals for America (ALPFA), and the International Association of Black Actuaries. These partnerships help us build relationships and educate potential job candidates on the career opportunities available at Principal®.

In 2024, we also piloted a 12-month immersive apprentice program for early career roles, broadening our talent investment among individuals without four-year degrees or experience in financial services. We’re excited by the first few months of the program and look forward to sharing the outcomes after the first cohort completes the program.

In 2024, 96.1% of global employees received a rating as part of an annual performance review process which allows employees and their leaders to reflect on the prior year’s performance, and setting goals for the year ahead.

What’s next

In 2025, our plans include:

• Investing in strategic upskilling of employees in the areas of data and AI literacy
• Implementing new programming to support talent readiness and succession planning health
• Evolving our learning technology and data platforms to improve employee experience and drive better insights into measuring the impact of learning on business results
• Increasing the visibility, accessibility, and global reach of learning programming

To learn more, read the Principal Financial Group 2024 Sustainability Report.

Insurance products issued by Principal National Life Insurance Co (except in NY) and Principal Life Insurance Company®. Plan administrative services offered by Principal Life. Principal Funds, Inc. is distributed by Principal Funds Distributor, Inc. Securities offered through Principal Securities, Inc., member SIPC and/or independent broker/dealers. Referenced companies are members of the Principal Financial Group®, Des Moines, IA 50392.

¹Based on full-time eligibility and offers extended and accepted