Tag: 3BL

On July 15, 2025, Cascale hosted a member-exclusive webinar in collaboration with Policy Hub to provide a briefing on the EU Omnibus Simplification Package and its implications for the apparel and footwear sector. The session brought together over 100 registrants from 25 countries, reflecting strong global engagement on the evolving EU sustainability policy landscape.

Moderated by Gabriele Ballero, public affairs manager at Cascale, the session featured insights from Elisabeth von Reitzenstein, senior director of policy & public affairs at Cascale; Maravillas Rodriguez Zarco, senior director of Higg Index strategy & operations at Cascale; and Marina Prados Espínola, director at Policy Hub. The speakers examined the implications of proposed changes to the Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive (CSRD) and Corporate Sustainability Due Diligence Directive (CSDDD), offering members a timely analysis of what’s at stake and how to prepare.

¹The timing of the webinar coincided with the European Parliament’s Legal Committee’s consideration of amendments and discussion of its negotiating position, marking a critical moment for EU sustainability legislation. Attendees received a breakdown of the two key components of the Omnibus Package — the “Stop the Clock” proposal, which delays certain implementation timelines, and the “Content” proposal, which is still under discussion and would introduce targeted modifications to CSRD and CSDDD.

Speakers outlined the evolving positions of the European Commission, the European Parliament, and the Council, highlighting points of alignment and divergence on company thresholds, climate plan requirements, and the scope of the value chain. The discussion emphasized how proposed shifts — particularly the potential move toward a Tier 1 rather than risk-based due diligence approach, and the proposal to introduce a SME shield limiting brands’ reporting requirements to SMEs in their value chain — could reshape compliance obligations for companies operating in global supply chains.

The webinar also addressed how Cascale’s Higg Index tools support member preparedness amid regulatory change. Rodriguez Zarco shared how the Higg Facility Environmental Module (Higg FEM) offers strong coverage of material environmental impacts across Tier 1 to Tier 3 — critical for environmental impact reporting and risk assessments under CSRD and CSDDD. She also emphasized that the Higg Brand & Retail Module (Higg BRM) remains a leading sector-specific ESG framework for apparel, textile, and footwear companies, including small and midsized enterprises (SMEs) seeking CSRD alignment. Cascale will assess the need to update relevant content and mapping guidance once the final Omnibus text and European Sustainability Reporting Standards (ESRS) data points are confirmed.

This session reflects Cascale’s active role in shaping and responding to legislative developments through both technical engagement and advocacy. This includes contributions to Policy Hub’s workstreams and participation in a joint industry statement calling for ambitious, enforceable sustainability standards within the EU framework.

This webinar is part of Cascale’s broader strategy to deliver credible, coordinated, and forward-looking policy engagement — equipping members with the tools, information, and support needed to respond effectively to regulatory change.

Member Resources Available

The webinar recording and presentation slides have been shared with registrants and are also available for download on Cascale Connect, Cascale’s members-only community platform.

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¹ https://eur-lex.europa.eu/eli/dir/2025/794/oj/eng

At QVC Group, we continue to make significant advancements towards our critical role in protecting the environment, championing empowerment and belonging, and curating product responsibly. We do this by inspiring a more sustainable way to retail that intentionally nurtures a culture of inclusion, support, and empowerment of key stakeholders, from team members to entrepreneurs, and the communities in which we serve.

Through our championing empowerment & belonging pillar, strategic imperatives are focused around delivering measurable and differentiated social and community impact through cause marketing and giving programs which embrace our responsibility to our stakeholders and society at large. As a result, our 2024 Corporate Contribution Summary Report and accompanying video highlight the many impactful ways we collectively made a difference last year through the continued commitment of our company, customers, vendors, and team members to building a brighter future through their contributions to meaningful causes which support our global communities.

In 2024, we generated over $31 million for more than 1,648 charities worldwide. This includes:

• 43,000+ team member volunteer hours, a 156% increased usage of paid volunteer days by over 3,200 team members; combined with 14,000 hours already recorded in the first half of 2025, the company has now exceeded its five-year goal set in 2020 to surpass 100,000 volunteer hours.
• Over $1.9 million in team member giving through our global giving program, Together for Good, which provides a 200% match on team member donations.
• $24+ million product & other in-kind donations through local and global organizations to impacted communities in 17 countries, including distribution through global partners World Vision, Good360 and Harvest Time International.
• 44% of total company giving directed towards women’s health & economic well-being causes. Since 2020, $54+ million has been contributed towards this focus, surpassing our 2025 target of $50 million.
• $2.6+ million for cause marketing such as QVC® U.S.’s Living for Giving benefiting Feeding America, and new partnership with the National Odd Shoe Exchange (N.O.S.E.), HSN®’s Foundation for Women Warriors, QVC Germany’s “Scan to Take Care” initiative through partnership with Pink Ribbon Germany and more.

“QVC Group’s Global Impact strategy seeks to embed inclusion, sustainability, and social responsibility into all aspects of our business. We’re proud of the $31+ million raised in 2024 to continue our tradition of giving back – and grateful to our team members, customers, and vendor community who have given generously to reach this milestone,” said Suzanne Quigley, Director Global Corporate Responsibility, QVC Group. “In addition, we’ve surpassed a significant milestone of 100,000 volunteer hours, exceeding a five-year goal set in 2020. With over 43,000 hours logged in 2024 and 14,000 hours already recorded in the first half of 2025, we were able to reach this notable target ahead of schedule thanks to our team members’ unwavering dedication to Together for Good.”

To learn more about QVC Group’s Corporate Responsibility initiatives and summary reports, visit: https://www.qvcgrp.com/lp/global-impact/.

Visitors to the CNH booth at this year’s Agrishow 2025, in São Paulo, Brazil, became part of a two-way learning experience interacting with a robot using offline generative artificial intelligence (AI) – a tool that likely will soon be an integral part of the farm machinery business.

Among their launches, their first AI e-commerce functionality stood out. The new feature uses Artificial Intelligence and allows anyone to take a photo of an item and quickly find its equivalent on the website, reducing search time, errors in selection and improving sales conversion.

Another major attraction was a robot that assisted visitors and helped agricultural machinery operators with no internet access. The technology, named M.A.I.A for Case IH, and GUIA for New Holland, uses offline generative AI. At the fair, GUIA, for example, executed commands such as turning on or off components of a New Holland harvester, such as its lights, surprising those who passed by.

At Agrishow, the CNH team showcased their technology by deploying a robot at their exhibit to interact with visitors curious about the farm machinery on display. The robot engaged attendees by answering questions and providing insights into the equipment.

Throughout the month of July, AEG’s LA Kings are bringing their passion for hockey to local libraries with a heartwarming twist—literacy. Through their “Storytime with the LA Kings” initiative, the team is promoting reading among young fans across Los Angeles County.

Organized by the Kings Care Foundation, the program features appearances by Bailey, the team’s beloved lion mascot, and the LA Kings Ice Crew, who host engaging story time sessions at public libraries throughout the city. The highlight of each event is a live reading of “B is for Bailey”, a colorful children’s book that introduces the ABCs of hockey in a fun and accessible way.

Designed for children ages 3 and up, the events are free and open to the public. While the program is geared toward early readers, families of all ages are welcome to attend. The goal is simple — to foster a love of reading while connecting kids with their favorite hockey team in a meaningful and educational setting.

The Kings Care Foundation has long been committed to supporting wellness, education, and inclusion in the Los Angeles community. This literacy initiative is part of a broader mission to invest in local youth and create positive social impact through sports and storytelling.

“Storytime with the LA Kings” is more than just a reading event—it’s an opportunity for children to see that learning can be fun, especially when it involves their favorite team,” said Amanda Apel, Sr. Director, Social Impact and the Kings Care Foundation. “By combining the excitement of hockey with the joy of books, the Kings are helping to build stronger readers and stronger communities.”

Parents and caregivers are encouraged to check the LA Kings’ official website for the full schedule of library visits and additional details. With events running throughout the month, there are plenty of chances to catch Bailey and the crew in action.

Logitech Blog

Logitech Reach has received the Future’s Best of Show Award, presented at ISTE 2025 by Tech & Learning in the Secondary Education category.

Tech & Learning’s Best of Show Awards are evaluated by a panel of industry expert judges and editors, and are selected on a points score against a range of criteria, including innovation, feature set, reliability, and performance.

“The products nominated for the Best of Show program provide an outstanding overview of new technology on the show floor and shine a spotlight on the products, and businesses behind them, who are transforming education in schools around the world,” said the awards editorial team.

Logitech Reach is an adjustable content camera that gives educators flexibility in presenting physical content. The pivoting and rotating camera combines horizontal and vertical movements to create novel vantage points and move the camera to exactly where it’s needed while maintaining camera orientation. Through its intuitive design and advanced features, Logitech Reach gives content sharers a new level of ease, flexibility and control to deliver immersive learning experiences in science, technology, engineering, art, math, and more.

Learn more here.

DUBAI, UAE, July 17, 2025 /3BL/ – Bacardi in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) has been recognized for its exceptional workplace culture, winning Gold at the Employee Happiness Awards 2025.

The annual awards which took place in Dubai last month, celebrate organizations across the UAE that lead the way in nurturing positive work environments, inspiring innovation, and putting their employees at the heart of their success stories.

Family-owned spirits company Bacardi is known for its unique culture and for encouraging diversity of thought in its people. In the UAE, where the team consists of more than 60 people with 15 different nationalities, regular cultural celebrations within the company allow the team to build deeper connections and a better understanding of and respect for each other’s heritage and viewpoints.

“At Bacardi, we create an environment where everyone can be appreciated for who they are, what they do and who they can become – this award shows that’s working,” says Claire Palmer, VP, Human Resources for Asia, Middle East & Africa and Global Travel Retail at Bacardi. “Up against some really tough competition, our strong culture, the happiness of our team and the diversity of our talent ensured Bacardi stood out.”

The judging panel recognized Bacardi for its holistic approach to Belonging — not just as a value, but as a leadership imperative – and its focus on every stage of its employees’ time at the company; from attracting values-aligned talent to fostering growth, wellbeing, everyday rituals that create connection, recognition, and lifelong brand ambassadorship.

In 2020, Bacardi became the first spirits company in the Middle East to be certified by Great Place to Work®. Last year, Bacardi globally was recognized by Forbes among “World’s Best Employers” and “Top Companies for Women”. Find out more about how Bacardi invests in its people and communities at www.bacardilimited.com/cs/people.

By Libby Richards, North America Community Engagement Manager, Lenovo

When Hurricane Helene swept through Western North Carolina in September 2024, it left behind more than just physical damage. It disrupted lives, isolated communities, and cut off basic necessities like clean water and communication. The scale of destruction was staggering: over 1,400 landslides, widespread damage to roads, homes, bridges, and water systems. In the midst of it all, local organizations and partners mobilized to help meet urgent needs and begin the long process of recovery.

Among the first to respond was Boone-based nonprofit Wine To Water. Known for their international work providing clean water in disaster-stricken and underserved regions around the world, the organization suddenly found itself responding to a crisis in its own backyard.

“I had to remind myself a few times that I was in the United States,” Courtney Mattar, Director of Partnerships at Wine To Water said. “I felt like I was transported back to where I’ve seen destruction from flooding in Nepal. The damage was that visceral.”

With its deep ties to the community and experience navigating emergencies, they shifted quickly from global relief to local action. Lenovo, a longtime supporter of Wine To Water’s global mission, stepped up to help as the focus turned to Western North Carolina.

Wine To Water’s teams were on the ground within hours, navigating blocked roads and delivering clean water by any means necessary, including trucks, ATVs, and even mountain bikes. They reached families who had suddenly found themselves without safe drinking water or shelter. Lenovo supported these efforts by sending the first truck of clean water into the region, helping Wine To Water begin their initial distributions at a time when access was nearly impossible.

“The first call I got once I had service was from Lenovo,” Mattar recalled. “They said, ‘What do you need?’ That kind of generosity felt like a giant hug – it reminded us we weren’t alone.”

Over the following weeks, the work deepened. Wine To Water transitioned from emergency response to long-term recovery, testing water at the tap in rural homes, distributing filters, and repairing wells and spring boxes that serve as critical water sources for many families in the region. They also took steps to offer something less visible but just as vital: safe shelter. With support from partners like Lenovo, they’ve provided more than 55 tiny homes to families displaced by the storm, offering warmth and security through the winter and beyond.

Technology also played a role in helping people get back on their feet. In partnership with the American Red Cross, Lenovo had previously donated 750 computers through the Red Cross Disaster Responder Program. After Helene, those devices became essential tools in local shelters, helping people find missing family members, access critical services, and stay informed during an uncertain time. The devices also powered Red Cross View, a mapping platform that supports everything from shelter tracking to damage assessments.

“Lenovo helped the Red Cross be prepared before Helene’s impact and have been ready to respond ever since,” said Rebecca Pittman, Regional Disaster Officer for the American Red Cross. “Having partnerships like the one Red Cross has with Lenovo allows us to be where we are needed, when we are needed.”

Another piece of the puzzle was connectivity. Through a partnership with Operation Connect Carolinas, Lenovo donated equipment to help restore internet access in areas where communication had been completely cut off. Staying in touch with emergency services, loved ones, and community networks was and still is key to recovery.

While the road ahead is still long for many in Western North Carolina, what has been clear from the start is the strength of the response. From neighbors helping neighbors, to nonprofits going beyond the last mile, to partners stepping in where they can, recovery is taking shape. It is never easy, and it does not happen overnight. But thanks to the relentless work of organizations like Wine To Water, the Red Cross, and Operation Connect Carolinas, and the resilience of the communities themselves, progress is being made one home, one family, one connection at a time.

Originally published on AgFunderNews

Operating mid-supply chain has some advantages when it comes to implementing regenerative agriculture practices, says Anne Jacobs, global regenerative agriculture manager at US-based food manufacturer Griffith Foods.

Griffith Foods makes ingredients that range from seasoning blends and sauces to dough mixes, texture components, and functional blends for meats that enhance flavor and color. Its roots in food innovation go all the way back to the early twentieth century, when the company’s founders saw the need for more science in the food industry.

Today, the company, which is still family owned, operates across 30 countries, working with some of the largest CPGs and meat-processing groups in the world.

Click here to read more on AgFunderNews.

“Sustainability for sustainability’s sake doesn’t often work. We have found a lot of ways to connect it to the business and business value.”

This is one of the many insights shared by Jeffrey Whitford, Vice President of Sustainability & Social Business Innovation at MilliporeSigma, the U.S. and Canada Life Science business of Merck KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany, at Sustainability LIVE Chicago 2025. Jeffrey took center stage at this event—a premier gathering of C-suite-, vice president- and director-level sustainability and ESG leaders—for an inspiring Fireside Chat titled, “Sustainability Driving Global Innovation.”

In a thought-provoking conversation, Jeffrey explored how sustainability can serve as a powerful catalyst for innovation—fueling creativity, unlocking business value and generating meaningful societal impact. He also emphasized MilliporeSigma’s commitment to embedding sustainability across its entire value chain—rather than isolating it in a silo. This ecosystem approach helps integrate sustainability throughout the product lifecycle, from design to end-of-life, positioning it as a strategic imperative.

Other key highlights from the session include:

• How everyday creativity can inspire sustainability innovation. Jeffrey shared how a simple QR code scan on a coffee cup—showing nutrition and allergen information—prompted him to rethink transparency for MilliporeSigma’s products. The result: developing a way for the company’s 2D barcodes on its 300,000+ diverse products to enable customers to access sustainability data like Product Carbon Footprinting—covering greenhouse gas impact of a product cradle-to-gate.
• The importance of leadership-driven cultural alignment. By encouraging innovation and cross-functional connection, MilliporeSigma is cultivating a culture that sees environmental and social challenges not as roadblocks—but as opportunities for transformation and shared progress.
• The impact of cross-industry collaboration in driving sustainability impact and future innovation. For example, Jeffrey spotlighted MilliporeSigma’s expanded partnership with Beyond Benign, a green chemistry education nonprofit. Together, they are driving systematic change in chemistry education by offering open access to online green chemistry resources and training and involving several higher education institutions around the world to make green chemistry an integral part of chemistry education. These efforts help better prepare next generation scientists with skills to address sustainability through chemistry. Beyond education, Jeffrey also discussed how MilliporeSigma is enabling sustainability across its ecosystem by offering a first-of-its-kind customer sustainability dashboard that guides more responsible decisions and by creating supplier toolkits that offer actionable steps for reducing environmental impact.

Watch Jeffrey’s full Fireside Chat on YouTube to hear more insights firsthand.

To explore the many initiatives MilliporeSigma is driving to bolster global sustainability innovation, visit the company’s Sustainability and Social Business Innovation webpage.

This article is authored by Emily Vesling, Director of Sustainability, Trane Technologies.

In a decade defined by the increasing impact of climate change on people and companies, the question is no longer why environmental sustainability matters, but how and when global companies will deliver on commitments — and are the plans part of the broader business strategy? At Trane Technologies, our Climate Transition Plan (CTP) answers that “how,” translating our sustainability commitments into a strategic roadmap for our science-based trajectory to net-zero by 2050.

Our CTP (the first of its kind in our sector) is both a strategic plan and a living document that will be updated as our approach evolves. It differs from the reports that many sustainability practitioners are accustomed to seeing. Rather than cataloging last year’s results, like a sustainability report, our climate transition plan looks forward, outlining the near- and long-term actions we will take on our path to net-zero. It also is deeply focused on a single topic — climate.

A strong framework for decarbonization

By aligning our company-wide climate transition plans with the Transition Plan Taskforce (TPT) Disclosure Framework, we’re leading by example and setting a practical, actionable path that the entire industry can follow, and we hope that they do.

The TPT Framework summarizes the transition to net-zero with three pillars: ambition, action and accountability. In our CTP, we used the same pillars to define our business sustainability strategy — with a goal to create a decarbonized and strong value chain.

Business resilience, defined as the capacity to anticipate and adapt to climate-related business disruption, is the connective tissue of those pillars. By translating ambition and action into an operational model that guides amid rapid change, resilience incentivizes business innovation to accelerate decarbonization, create business value and future-proof our company.

Ambition: our bold environmental sustainability targets

Our Climate Transition Plan connects vision to action, outlining a strategy for investment and innovation to help achieve our bold climate commitments. The ambition pillar of our CTP articulates clear, science-based milestones that have already put us on the road to a decarbonized future.

By 2030, our industry-first Gigaton Challenge will help our customers avoid one billion metric tons of emissions (from a 2019 baseline). We will move toward completely carbon neutral operations over that same period, reducing embodied carbon by 40% and transitioning to a fully electrified transportation fleet. These near-term 2030 goals are critical stepping stones on the path to our long-term goal of a net-zero value chain by 2050. With these industry-leading commitments, we set the stage to turn our decarbonization ambitions into action.

Action: decarbonization levers in motion

Delivering on those commitments requires coordinated action across our entire business. The key levers of our CTP and strategy are based on three focus areas: decarbonizing our operations, our sold products and our products’ life cycle. Together, these levers address every link in our value chain.

Decarbonization starts at home, and we’re doing the hard steps first by prioritizing renewable energy in our own facilities. Our La Crosse, Wisconsin facility, for example, runs entirely on electricity generated from renewable sources. We’re also phasing out high-emission refrigerants and tightening leak-detection processes while accelerating fleet electrification and developing advanced analytics for energy efficiency. Investing in these levers helps eliminate the emissions linked to our operations while also future proofing our business.

Decarbonizing the use of our products is a top priority because it represents over 98% of our carbon footprint, so we’re prioritizing the transition to high-efficiency equipment sales and expanding our product mix to accelerate electrification — while also focusing on system-level energy efficiency. The U.S. Department of Energy estimates that high-efficiency equipment can reduce energy consumption by up to 50%. Our transition to low global warming potential (GWP) refrigerants also showcases our progress and commitment to efficiency, with years of research and development focused on cutting refrigerant GWP by up to 78% without compromising performance.

We’re tackling the decarbonization of our products’ life cycle with equal rigor. From re-engineering material specifications to decrease the carbon footprint of materials, to supporting supplier decarbonization efforts with our sustainable procurement policy, we’re reducing emissions throughout our products’ entire service life.

Our circularity strategy covers every segment of our value chain, prioritizing sustainable design, maintenance, remanufacturing, reuse and end-of-life planning. This approach focuses on keeping valuable resources in use while reducing emissions, turning our supply chain into a regenerative loop while supporting business growth.

Together, this set of concrete levers accelerates our net-zero momentum, turning action into measurable impact.

Accountability: governance, metrics and transparency

Ambition and action carry weight only when accountability is embedded at all levels, from the boardroom to operations. Our Board of Directors provides oversight for our climate strategy, tracking performance against our sustainability commitments. Annual incentives for senior leadership are linked to our progress, aligning business performance with our decarbonization strategy and goals.

Progress against our Climate Transition Plan is disclosed publicly each year in our Sustainability Report. We use the GHG Protocol standards to measure and manage our progress toward our emissions reduction targets. To confirm the accuracy of our emissions calculations, we perform annual audits through an internal assurance process and use an independent third party to verify select emissions data that is included in our reporting.

The CTP is also a valuable tool for internal alignment and building shared momentum. The process of creating our CTP required extensive cross-functional collaboration throughout our organization, bringing a wide range of stakeholders together around our climate roadmap. This internal coordination keeps everyone on the same page, working towards our shared goal.

Looking ahead: collaboration for scale and impact

We know that climate risk is business risk, but climate innovation is also a business opportunity. The Trane Technologies Climate Transition Plan doesn’t just mitigate operational threats — it positions us to lead in a low-carbon economy. By operationalizing our climate strategy, we’re taking action to align with international climate agreements while preparing our business for future policy, market and technological changes.

We invite our stakeholders to join us in this important work. We ask our customers to participate by prioritizing decarbonized products and solutions, and our suppliers to join our low-carbon-materials journey. We call on policymakers to set standards that reward sustainable innovation and environmental stewardship. And we encourage talented individuals who are passionate about sustainability to come build their careers with us.

Together, we can drive systemic change to mitigate climate threats, create business value and fuel innovation. And together, we will demonstrate that embedding climate planning and resilience in business strategy is not just important — it’s good business.

Discover more in our Climate Transition Plan and see our progress in our 2024 Sustainability Report.