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G&A has been publishing annual research on trends in corporate sustainability reporting since 2012 and we are currently analyzing 2024 trends for our next report (to be issued later this year). We expect this research to show continued high levels of sustainability reporting for the largest U.S. public companies, with the publication of annual sustainability reports now recognized as a best practice for S&P 500 and Russell 1000 companies.

While reporting levels are expected to remain high, the content of reports is clearly changing in response to anti-ESG backlash. In our Top Stories, we highlight several articles on how companies are adapting the way they communicate about ESG while at the same time not abandoning their underlying sustainability strategies and initiatives.

In an article for Trellis, Peter Lupoff, a fund manager and professor who teaches about impact investing, discusses “How the anti-ESG movement is reshaping corporate sustainability reports.” Lupoff notes that corporate sustainability reporting remains voluntary, with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission ending its attempt to introduce mandatory climate disclosure in March. He doesn’t expect sustainability reporting to decrease, but he does say, “Companies are in full-on ‘green-hushing’ mode, maintaining sustainability programs while avoiding explicit ESG language.”

Importantly, Lupoff believes the anti-ESG pushback will have a positive impact on the value of sustainability reporting, saying it is “forcing companies to demonstrate actual value rather than virtue signal.” He says: “Valuable reports now clearly connect environmental and social practices to business outcomes — how water efficiency reduces costs, employee engagement improves productivity or supply chain transparency reduces regulatory risk.”

The shift in how companies communicate about sustainability reflects the underlying trend within companies to focus more on aligning sustainability strategies with long-term business strategies. Joel Makower, co-founder and chairman of Trellis, writes in his article “No, corporate sustainability is not dying,” that he believes corporate sustainability is instead “getting smarter, quieter, more embedded and, in many respects, more effective.” He cites a chief sustainability officer who says, “we’re talking less, but we’re doing more.”

This trend within companies is also highlighted in an article in Economist Impact about the results of a recent survey of chief sustainability officers regarding their budgets. The survey reported that 77% of CSOs expect their budgets for sustainability-linked initiatives to remain stable or increase, despite mounting political sensitivity. In addition, 56% anticipate that sustainability will become a greater strategic priority within their organizations over the next five years.

The results of the survey also reinforced the point that while many companies are dialing down public communications due to political pressure, the work is still going on in earnest. “Over one-third of companies said they have scaled back their sustainability communications, while keeping business strategies unchanged.”

The G&A team is available to help companies navigate today’s challenging landscape for developing, implementing and communicating about your sustainability strategies. We continue to closely monitor trends in sustainability reporting and look forward to bringing you our latest annual research this fall. For more information contact us at: info@ga-institute.com.

This is just the introduction of G&A’s Sustainability Highlights newsletter this week. Click here to view the full issue.

With South Africa’s youth unemployment rate sitting at a staggering 62.4%, finding sustainable job opportunities for young people has become an urgent national priority. While many sectors are stagnating, logistics is booming – fueled by the rise of e-commerce, digital innovation and global trade – creating a new wave of career paths.

“From supply chain analytics and IT systems integration to customer experience and compliance, logistics is evolving into a dynamic, tech-enabled industry that offers diverse professional avenues for South Africa’s youth,” said Gregory Saffy, managing director for Sub-Saharan African Operations at FedEx.

While traditional roles like drivers, packers and sorters will always be essential, they are increasingly supported by technology-driven processes. This shift creates additional opportunities for young people looking for more technology focused roles.

“Logistics isn’t what it used to be,” said Saffy. “The real competitive advantage now lies in digital capability, especially in areas like data analytics and systems thinking. We’re seeing more engineers and analysts in the business than ever before, guiding operations and enabling automation at scale.”

Beyond data analytics and IT roles, compliance and customs clearance are also emerging as key growth areas for job creation. Saffy highlights the development of a formalised customs qualification as a major step forward for the industry.

“We’re seeing progress in the creation of a national customs clearance certification that will give individuals a recognised qualification, including those with practical experience but no matric pass,” said Saffy. “This will create a clear career path and raise the overall standard of compliance across the industry.”

FedEx is already enrolling its customs clerks into newly developed courses in freight forwarding and customs compliance. In addition to formalising technical knowledge, these programmes also focus on future-ready skills like digital literacy, data analysis and critical thinking.

For young people without access to formal education, FedEx offers a clear entry point through its Yes Learnerships. “Our 12-month programme combines training, mentoring and practical work experience,” said Saffy. “Since 2019, we’ve onboarded more than 150 unemployed youth through YES, with more than 60 going on to become permanent employees. It’s a powerful model for bridging the gap between education and employment.”

In parallel, FedEx runs a dedicated learnership programme for youth living with disabilities, offering an NQF Level 4 certificate in business administration. This includes coaching, blended learning and real-world operational experience – helping to build inclusive, work-ready skills pipelines.

FedEx commitment to building inclusive talent pipelines is a powerful example of how private sector investment in skills development can help unlock opportunities and start turning the tide on youth unemployment.

“Logistics is a gateway to global trade,” said Saffy. “It’s no longer just about moving parcels; it’s about managing complexity in a fast-paced, tech-driven environment. With the right support and training, South Africa’s youth can thrive in this space.”

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

Originally published on philadelphiaunion.com

Bringing the love of the game to every part of greater Philadelphia.

By bringing activities, equipment, and passion for the game of soccer to Philadelphia and the surrounding communities, Subaru and the Union are partnering to provide opportunities for everyone to experience the greatness of soccer.

GEAR FOR GOOD

Every kid deserves the chance to fall in love with the game of soccer. But 1 in 2 families involved in youth sports say they’ve struggled to afford it, according to the Aspen Institute. We believe the cost of gear shouldn’t cost kids the chance to play. That’s why Subaru, its Philadelphia-area retailers, and the Philadelphia Union are getting soccer gear to kids who need it most through Gear for Good.

Continue reading here.

Logitech Blog

When you buy a product, what do you care most about? Maybe it’s how it feels in your hands, how long it lasts, or how it looks. But what if you bought products from a company that considers how materials affect the environment? What if choosing better didn’t mean sacrificing quality, style, or function? That’s exactly the kind of thoughtful design Logitech works toward – products that work seamlessly for your life. 

We invite you behind the scenes with our 6-episode “Design for Sustainability” series on Instagram where you’ll get a firsthand look at how innovation and design come together to shape products you love. Meet the thinkers, tinkerers, and innovators reimagining what’s possible to design smarter.

Episode 1 –  Sustainability Without Compromise:  Our products are designed with sustainability in mind, without compromise on quality.

Episode 2 – Less is More: We consistently aim to reinvent the way we design to use less materials, reduce the weight of products, and reduce carbon impact.

Episode 3 – Material Geeks: A look at the materials and finishes that we carefully choose to design for sustainability without compromising the look and feel of the products. 

Episode 4 – Next Life Plastics: A closer look at how we use recycled plastic in our products.

Episode 5 – A Look Inside: See how we take apart our products to understand all materials and components used, in order to continue to improve and innovate our new designs.

Episode 6 – From Plastic to Paper: Learn more about our approach to reducing single-use plastic and our innovative efforts in packaging. 

For more information about the series, read here.

Find all videos on our Instagram highlights here. 

Chris, marketing operations lead strategist

• Work passion: Forging connections between people and technology
• Volunteer passion: Keeping her local beach clean and safe
• Taking intentional walks along the beach

Before logging in to work, I walk a mile-and-a-half-stretch of Fort Myers Beach picking up debris. It gives me the opportunity to exercise, act as a beach ambassador, and make a difference. After Hurricane Ian devastated our island in 2022, each subsequent storm (and even high tide) has continued to bring in an assortment of items back onto the beach—from small items like DVDs and shoes to larger items like mattresses and pool furniture.

Helping people and sea creatures enjoy the beach

Our beach is our backyard, and we need to keep it clean and safe to be a viable place to live and visit—for humans and all creatures. A number of endangered shore birds and sea turtles nest on our beach each year. A lot of the debris can be very hazardous to them if they ingest it, get tangled in it, or run into it.

Doubling my impact

People on the island find it hard to believe Principal^® and Principal^® Foundation offer such generous matching/volunteer reward programs. I max out my volunteer rewards dollars every year and contribute those funds to nonprofits on Fort Myers Beach, helping extend relief these organizations provide to those devastated by the hurricane, as well as helping these organizations get back on their own two feet.

Principal Financial Group Foundation, Inc. (“Principal^® Foundation^“) is a duly recognized 501(c)(3) entity focused on providing philanthropic support to programs that build financial security in the communities where Principal Financial Group, Inc. (“Principal”) operates. While Principal Foundation receives funding from Principal, Principal Foundation is a distinct, independent, charitable entity. Principal Foundation does not practice any form of investment advisory services and is not authorized to do so.

© 2025 Principal Foundation.

Principal^® is an equal opportunity employer and an E-Verify participant. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to age, race, color, religion or religious creed, sex, gender, gender identity, gender expression, pregnancy, national origin, ancestry, citizenship status, mental or physical disability, medical condition, genetic information or characteristics, sexual orientation, marital status, domestic partner status, military status, protected veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by law. We also prohibit harassment on these bases.

Know your rights: Workplace discrimination is illegal (dol.gov)

If at any stage of the employment application process you need a reasonable accommodation due to a disability, contact Human Resources at MyHR@principal.com or 1-866-524-6947. Read our employment policies for more information.

Recruitment fraud is a scheme that offers fictitious job opportunities to people. This type of fraud is normally done through online services such as bogus websites, social media, or through unsolicited emails/SMS texts claiming to be from Principal or Principal employees. Only applicants who have filled out an official application on our career site (careers.principal.com) will be considered for employment opportunities. Principal will never ask for money during any stage of the employment application process. If you receive a communication (e.g., LinkedIn message, Facebook Messenger, SMS text, personal email, etc.) asking for money or personal financial information, don’t engage or respond. Please contact our Human Resources team at MyHR@principal.com or 1-866-524-6947, and your local law enforcement. For more information, review our recruitment fraud information.

You can review our U.S. workforce privacy notice (PDF).

Insurance products and plan administrative services provided through Principal Life Insurance Company^®, a member of the Principal Financial Group^®, Des Moines, IA 50392.

4589987-062025

As a long-standing partner of The Children’s Inn at the National Institutes of Health (NIH), Leidos proudly served as a platinum sponsor of this year’s annual gala, an inspiring evening dedicated to advancing care, comfort, and discovery for children and families navigating complex medical journeys. The event brought together a community committed to advancing The Inn’s mission and ensuring families have the support they need during some of life’s most difficult moments.

For over three decades, The Children’s Inn has provided a free, residential “place like home” for families with children, teens, and young adults participating in cutting-edge research studies at NIH Clinical Center. While the NIH offers hope for a cure through world-class care, The Inn meets families where they are, addressing their everyday needs through housing, meals, and a caring community – all at no cost. This compassionate model eases the financial burden of illness, allowing families to focus fully on what matters most: their child’s health and recovery.

Leidos’ partnership with The Inn spans over 20 years, growing from grassroots volunteerism into a robust corporate executive sponsorship. In 2024, Leidos deepened this commitment with a $2.5 million donation to The Inn’s Building Extraordinary Capital Campaign. This critical investment supports a 25% increase in the Inn’s capacity, expanding access to care for up to 3,000 patients annually.

The gala served as a powerful reminder of what’s possible when compassion, commitment, and community come together. With the help of Leidos and fellow partners, the event raised more than $1.83 million to help sustain and grow The Inn’s vital programs.

Leidos was represented by senior leaders, including Tom Bell, CEO; Liz Porter, president of the Health and Civil Sector; and Milad Bahrami, senior vice president of Health Solutions and board member for The Children’s Inn. The featured video below highlighted Leidos leaders and the many employees who have supported The Inn through hands-on volunteerism, from serving family dinners to leading donation drives and bringing joy through holiday decorating. These efforts demonstrate a strong culture of service and a commitment to supporting families facing serious illness, both clinically and emotionally.

“This work goes beyond any one partnership,” Porter said. “It’s about showing up with heart, being part of a community, and doing what we can to lift each other up. That’s why we continue to stand alongside The Inn, not just with funding, but with time, care, and a deep sense of respect for the families.”

As The Children’s Inn continues to grow its impact, the support of committed partners remains essential. For Leidos, this partnership is a direct reflection of who we are as a company. As an innovation company rapidly addressing the world’s most vexing challenges in national security and health, we are honored to stand alongside The Inn, helping make it possible for every family seeking treatment at NIH to be met with world-class care–and with comfort, dignity, and a place to call home. A place free of financial burden and full of hope.

Originally published on Nielsen News Center

Throughout the month of April, Nielsen employees celebrated Global Volunteer Month with volunteering and environmental activities, culminating with our twelfth annual Earth Day call-to-action on April 24th, 2025.

For the second year in a row, Global Volunteer Month provided an ongoing opportunity for Nielsen to achieve together through community engagement. All employees have 24 hours of annual volunteer time to participate in volunteering events with nonprofit and non-governmental organizations throughout the year, and many Nielsen employees took advantage of this benefit in April.

790 employees across 26 countries led and participated in optional volunteer and educational events throughout April. Our people volunteered at the Mumbai and Bangalore offices to make seedballs for planting in local forests, participated in river and beach cleanups in Warsaw and the Tampa Bay area, learned to make recycled watering pots in Mexico City, virtually gathered from around the world to learn about zero waste cooking and to reduce our digital trash footprints, and much more. 

In partnership with the Corporate Citizenship team, our Green Business Resource Group (BRG) organized events around the world throughout the month of April, totalling more than 2,600 volunteer and engagement hours across 140 events and individual activities.

During two information sessions for global employees, the Corporate Citizenship team also invited people managers and BRG leaders from Australia, Brazil, India and Mexico to share about the benefits of volunteering for team building and engagement. One of the leaders shared:

“Volunteering unites us around a common goal and powers team-building for our people,” shared Ana Lucía Álvarez Parra, Team Lead for Rich Media LatAm and Cares BRG Leader in Mexico. “It also offers our people opportunities to take on leadership roles. And it’s a fun and rewarding way to break up our regular work routines while creating a shared sense of pride and connection to our community and the Nielsen organization.”

Volunteering opportunities are a powerful way to drive team-building and engagement across the globe while connecting with our local communities and contributing to a more sustainable future for all people. We look forward to continuing the momentum with volunteering events throughout the year, especially in the lead-up to Nielsen’s thirteenth annual global day of service in October 2025. To learn more about Nielsen’s commitment to responsibility and sustainability, click here. 

Originally published on SIA

By Renee Thompson, Wesco; Chair, SIA Environmental, Social and Governance Advisory Board

Sustainability is a concept influencing future developments; however, some of its terminology can be confusing or misused, which can result in misunderstandings.

Whether you are a business aiming to make genuine efforts or an individual wanting to make informed decisions, understanding these nine terms is essential.

1. Offsets – a Complement, Not a Solution

Offsets represent investments in projects that reduce emissions elsewhere, such as reforestation or renewable energy initiatives. While they can help balance unavoidable emissions, relying excessively on offsets can hinder necessary systemic changes.

Key takeaway: Offsets from certified projects should be used strategically to compensate for unavoidable emissions. The focus should remain on reducing emissions at their source for lasting impact.

2. Carbon Neutral: It Doesn’t Mean Zero Emissions

Carbon neutrality means balancing emissions through offsets like renewable energy projects, not eliminating pollution entirely. A “carbon-neutral” product still produces emissions during manufacture and transport.

Key takeaway: Carbon neutrality is a step forward but underscores the need to continue reducing emissions directly.

3. Net Zero: Prioritize Reduction Before Offsets

Net zero requires significant emissions reductions internally before relying on offsets to get to zero. Think of it as doing the work before asking for extra credit.

Key takeaway: Net zero demands serious efforts to reduce emissions within a company’s operations first, ensuring long-term sustainability beyond superficial measures.

4. Carbon Sequestration: Not a Magic Solution

Carbon sequestration involves capturing and storing CO₂ through natural methods (like plants and soil) or technology-based approaches. While helpful, it’s only one tool and doesn’t replace reducing emissions in the first place.

Key takeaway: Carbon sequestration is valuable but should complement broader efforts to address the root causes of emissions.

5. Carbon Leakage: Outsourcing Pollution

Carbon leakage occurs when companies shift operations to countries with weaker environmental regulations to avoid stricter domestic laws. This simply relocates emissions rather than mitigating them.

Key takeaway: Moving pollution elsewhere doesn’t eliminate it.

6. Biodegradable Doesn’t Mean Immediate Breakdown

For businesses, understanding that a product labeled as biodegradable won’t instantly decompose under typical conditions is crucial. These products often require specific environments, such as exposure to oxygen and certain microbes, to break down effectively. Without these conditions, they can remain intact for years, undermining sustainability goals.

Key takeaway: Businesses should assess whether biodegradable products align with their environmental strategies and disposal infrastructure.

7. Compostable: Industrial vs. Home Friendly

Not all compostable products are created equal. Many, such as certain cups, require industrial composting facilities to break down properly, while only items marked “home compostable” can decompose in backyard setups. Companies need to determine whether they or their clients have access to such facilities before committing to compostable materials.

Key takeaway: Businesses should verify compostable claims and ensure their supply chain or end users can handle such materials effectively.

8. Carbon Footprint: More Than Just Operations

A company’s carbon footprint goes beyond its direct operations – it includes the energy consumed in manufacturing processes, the environmental impact of its supply chain and even the carbon emissions tied to its products’ lifecycle, from production to disposal. Every corporate decision, whether regarding logistics, sourcing or packaging, contributes to the larger environmental picture.

Key takeaway: A company’s carbon footprint reflects the sum of its operational and strategic choices.

9. Greenwashing: Misleading Corporate Sustainability Claims

Greenwashing occurs when companies use eco-friendly buzzwords, visuals or vague claims to appear more sustainable than they truly are. This can mislead stakeholders into believing the organization is making environmentally responsible decisions when its practices may lack genuine sustainability. For instance, a “green” packaging campaign might serve as a marketing strategy rather than a true commitment to environmental impact reduction.

Key takeaway: Scrutinize corporate sustainability claims for transparency and authenticity.

The Bottom Line

Understanding sustainability terms is crucial for inspiring action and making informed choices. By using these terms correctly, we can encourage meaningful environmental progress and empower ourselves and our communities to create a lasting impact.

View more resources from SIA’s ESG Advisory Board here!

Renee Thompson, director of global sustainability and environmental compliance at Wesco, serves as chair of SIA’s Environmental, Social and Governance Advisory Board.

ST. PAUL, Minn., July 21, 2025 /3BL/ – Inogen Alliance had four Associate experts contribute to an insight report by Environment Analyst – Europe in Focus, drivers, opportunities and challenges in the environmental and sustainability consulting sector in Northern Europe. Our experts included Holger Hillen, HPC AG Germany; Dieuwke Martens-Bakker, Antea Group Netherlands; Beatrijs Lambie, Antea Group Belgium; and Nan Kjellberg, DGE Sweden.

The full report, available here, provides a high-level overview of economic and environmental situations along with the political backdrop. Some common themes that emerged were competition, skill shortages, rollback on certain EU rules, and challenging political impacts.

Germany:

Holger Hillen, HPC AG, believes there are lots of investments to be made in Germany, for construction of infrastructure and other facilities, and this is what drives their core business. This makes him hopeful for the next five years. He expects strong growth in energy connections, water infrastructure, and for sustainability to heat up again in two years, as CSRD requirements come in for more companies.

Netherlands:

Right now, one of the biggest sources of work for Antea Group’s 1,700 staff in the Netherlands is working with companies to achieve their energy savings obligations in line with the Energy Efficiency Directive (EED). This sets legally binding targets for energy efficiency across different industries in the EU. Last updated in 2023, the directive now applies to more companies, Dieuwke Martens-Bakker says.

One big challenge ahead for the Netherlands, like many other European countries, is a congested electricity grid. This is hindering the ability to meet increasing electricity demands and the integration of sustainable energy production, Martens-Bakker explains. This is making decentralised energy solutions, which do not rely on the central grid, more popular in the Netherlands, and something which Antea Group is increasingly involved in. The company helps organisations analyse their energy mix and look at alternatives like local grids and recycling waste heat, she says.

Belgium:

Antea Group Belgium offers E&S services in areas including permitting, environmental studies, ecology, mobility studies, and energy. The company’s projects range from: making infrastructures more sustainable, climate adaptive (blue-green) urban developments, industrial decarbonisation projects, soil and groundwater remediation with nature-based solutions. Also it undertakes more traditional tasks of permitting for industrial and real estate developments.

“Despite the importance placed on EHS by the government and businesses, procedures are perceived as burdensome. Therefore a good guide is currently in high demand,” Beatrijs Lambie

Sweden:

The EU’s Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive (CSRD) has had a significant impact, but as the rules have been eased, based on the Omnibus package, demand for ESG work is lessening. Clients are questioning whether sustainability will still be a priority going forward. Nan Kjellberg, DGE Sweden notes: There is “a bit of confusion right now” among companies as they try to balance eased CSRD requirements with their wider sustainability ambitions. “Many companies have focused heavily on the CSRD, using much of their time and resources. This focus has slowed progress on broader sustainability goals,” she adds. On the other hand, Kjellberg notes steady demand for compliance work linked to Swedish legislation, as these rules “have been in place for some time”.

Our local Associate expertise gives us unique insight into the local trends and business environments across the globe which is especially critical during times of uncertainty and change. We leverage these local insights to give our clients tailored, high-quality services wherever they operate.

Read the full report for more industry insights across Germany, France, Netherlands, Belgium, Denmark and Sweden, or check out our bonus podcast episode with Antea Group UK – Energy Transition and Security in Europe.

Inogen Alliance is a global network made up of over 70 of independent local businesses and over 6,000 consultants around the world who can help make your project a success. Our Associates collaborate closely to serve multinational corporations, government agencies, and nonprofit organizations, and we share knowledge and industry experience to provide the highest quality service to our clients. If you want to learn more about how you can work with Inogen Alliance, you can explore our Associates or Contact Us. Watch for more News & Blog updates, listen to our podcast and follow us on LinkedIn.

Originally published on Aflac Newsroom

Aflac employees displayed 15 tons of heart when they took part in Curing Kids Cancer’s 12^th annual Fire Truck Pull held in downtown Columbia, South Carolina, to raise funds to support the Gamecocks Curing Kids Cancer Clinic at Prisma Health Children’s Hospital — Midlands.

Each year, Aflac employees join teams honoring or in memory of children with cancer, and they dress according to a special theme chosen by their sponsored child to highlight their favorite things. This year, teams included hippies, princesses, superheroes and cartoon dogs.

Curing Kids Cancer was founded in 2005 by Grainne and Clay Owen to honor their son Killian, who was diagnosed with acute lymphocytic leukemia, which tragically took his life in 2003. Since its first fundraising season, Curing Kids Cancer has raised over $30 million for pediatric cancer research.¹

Bob Ruff, senior vice president, Group Voluntary Benefits, attended the event and pulled for one of the four teams sponsored by Aflac employees. He wore a T-shirt featuring a crew of famous toys as he participated in the event and expressed his excitement for Aflac’s partnership with Curing Kids Cancer.

“Aflac and Curing Kids Cancer have an unwavering commitment to help children with cancer, their families and the medical professionals who care for them,” Ruff said. “That’s why Aflac has been a longtime supporter of Curing Kids Cancer and presenting sponsor of the Fire Truck Pull for six years, with nearly $40,000 in funding. We are excited to help advance the mission of Curing Kids Cancer.”

The Fire Truck Pull raised $64,000 for Prisma Health Children’s Hospital — Midlands, which is triple the amount raised at the event last year. Everyone involved in this event were inspired by incredible kids, and the Aflac teams raised $4,730 in total. Team Greyson raised the most with $1,400.

Learn more about Curing Kids Cancer, including upcoming fundraisers, by visiting CuringKidsCancer.org.

Source: ¹https://curingkidscancer.org/about/our-story

Aflac herein means American Family Life Assurance Company and/or American Family Life Assurance Company of New York and/or Continental American Insurance Company and /or Continental American Life Insurance Company.

Aflac WWHQ | 1932 Wynnton Road | Columbus, GA. 31999 Continental American Insurance Company | Columbia, South Carolina

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