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The global shift toward people-first places has fueled a twelve-fold increase in WELL since 2020—now shaping roughly $2 trillion in assets 

Companies using WELL as a framework for health and performance include Cisco, Citi, Empire State Realty Trust (ESRT), GSK, Johnson Controls, Sunrise Senior Living, Tata Realty and T-Mobile

NEW YORK and AMSTERDAM, July 10, 2025 /3BL/ – Global growth and adoption of the International WELL Building Institute’s (IWBI) WELL Building Standard (WELL) has surged to more than 6 billion square feet (557.4 million square meters) of real estate, demonstrating incredible market penetration in nearly 100,000 locations across 137 countries that are realizing the positive impacts of people-first places. The world’s leading standard for healthy buildings and organizations, WELL is also used by more than 180 companies from the Fortune and Global 500, and helps support the health and well-being of an estimated 30 million people.

The rapid and widespread adoption of WELL represents a twelve-fold increase since early 2020 and a tremendous financial investment by the real estate industry and other leading sectors to put people at the center of their workplace strategy, helping drive the healthy building movement. Based on market valuations,* this vast global portfolio of spaces using WELL is estimated to represent over $2 trillion in assets managed, a conservative estimate of gross asset value.

“This milestone reflects a new paradigm: prioritizing health isn’t a cost, it’s a catalyst,” said IWBI President and CEO Rachel Hodgdon. “Because of WELL’s relentless focus on people and their well-being, WELL projects serve as engines for better health outcomes, stronger financial returns and higher-performing people. That’s why we’re seeing the market embrace WELL like never before. Six billion square feet is not only 13 times more than the office space in Los Angeles, it’s just shy of the total commercial space of the United Kingdom. The current scale of WELL—spanning nearly 100,000 locations, 137 countries and representing roughly $2 trillion in assets—is staggering, and the pace of adoption is equally extraordinary.”

Since the launch of WELL in 2014, thousands of organizations have adopted WELL as an evidence-based roadmap for applying health strategies in their locations, across their organizations and in their communities.

Major companies and brands are engaging with IWBI’s WELL at scale program, extending the benefits of WELL across their entire organizations or real estate portfolios while supporting business performance and reporting, including, among others: A&O Shearman, AON, Atenor Group SA, Barclays, Bloomberg, Brookfield (Australia), Brookfield (India), Cadillac Fairview, Capital Land, Castellum, Cbus Property, Charter Hall, Cisco, Citi, Clifford Chance, CMS, Deloitte, DPR Construction, EDGE Technologies, Embassy REIT, Empire State Realty Trust, Enel, EY, Genentech, GMP Property, GSK, HB Reavis, Investa, JLL, Johnson Controls, JPMC, Landsec, Lendlease, Lincoln Property, Majid al Futtaim, Mapletree Project, MDC General Services Holding Company LLC, MSD, NEOM, NEO Office Fund, Prestige, PwC Italy, RBC, Resorts World Sentosa, Rudin, Sanofi, SAP, Standard Bank, Standard Chartered Bank, Sunrise Senior Living, Swire Properties Management Limited, Tata Realty, Teknion, T-Mobile, Uber, Warner Brothers Discovery and WTW.

“The numbers are clear: WELL is transforming the state of commercial real estate worldwide and generating economic impacts that touch millions of people’s lives by supporting their physical and mental health and well-being in meaningful and measurable ways,” said IWBI COO Prateek Khanna. “By promoting health, comfort and community, by monitoring building performance through air quality, water quality and lighting, and creating spaces that enable people to thrive, WELL is driving global market transformation.”

Companies everywhere are now paying close attention to creating environments that support both physical and mental well-being, especially as a way to enhance engagement and attract top talent. By prioritizing health and well-being, WELL Certified projects show significantly stronger performance across a range of people-centered outcomes, from improved physical and mental health to a series of market-differentiating advantages, like productivity and workplace satisfaction. WELL is the only certification program backed by multiple independent, peer-reviewed studies proving it delivers measurable health benefits and outperforms conventional buildings and green certified buildings alike on the factors that matter most to people, like indoor air quality, thermal comfort, lighting and overall well-being and satisfaction.

• A Building and Environment study found that occupants in WELL Certified spaces reported a 28% improvement in overall workplace satisfaction, a 10-point increase in productivity scores and improvements in their health and well-being.
• Another study published in Building & Environment in 2023 found organizations that achieved WELL Certification experienced higher-performing workplaces than their non-certified peers. Respondents in WELL offices were, for example, 18% more satisfied with access to sunlight, 11% more satisfied with thermal comfort, and 10% more satisfied with both indoor air quality and air movement.
• Buildings with healthy building certifications also earn rent premiums between 4.4% and 7.7% more per square foot as well as longer lease terms, indicating that buildings that support tenant health and well-being generate greater demand and rent premiums.

“Organizations that excel on matters related to the health, well-being and performance of their workforce are poised to see a significantly positive impact on their bottom line. We know that employees who are healthy, engaged, valued and thriving miss work less often, have lower healthcare costs, are less likely to turn over and are more productive,” added Hodgdon.

IWBI, the global authority for advancing healthy buildings, organizations and communities, delivered the milestone announcement at its second annual Social Sustainability Summit in Amsterdam, which convened leaders from the corporate, real estate, policy and finance sectors to explore how social sustainability is driving corporate strategy and delivering long-term value. The summit aimed to shed light on key stakeholder groups and how businesses are prioritizing governance, innovation and collaboration to create meaningful impact. Featured topics included “Driving performance in real estate” and “Investing in health pays back.”

“From an investor perspective, organizations that take good care of their workforce and extend that care to their value chain workers, their impacted communities and their end users are not simply less risky investments, they can be winning investment opportunities,” said Hodgdon at the event. “More and more, institutional investors are leveraging critical data derived from the implementation of WELL’s health strategies to reduce risk, improve returns and increase value.”

WELL is now the third most used certification platform within the GRESB real estate assessment, representing 9% of total certified and rated floor area. Since the end of 2024, WELL has also been incorporated in 12 different types of financial instruments—including green bonds, social bonds and sustainability-linked bonds and loans—and featured in sustainable finance frameworks, regulatory guides, reports and case studies in 24 countries, spanning five continents.

Developed over 10 years and backed by the latest scientific research, WELL outlines key building-level interventions and organizational strategies across 10 categories: Air, Water, Nourishment, Light, Movement, Thermal Comfort, Sound, Materials, Mind and Community. The WELL ecosystem, which comprises WELL Certification, the WELL Health-Safety Rating, the WELL Performance Rating, the WELL Equity Rating, the WELL Coworking Rating, the WELL Community Standard and the WELL for residential pilot, has been adopted by organizations seeking to prioritize human health and well-being. WELL’s holistic, evidence-based approach has provided a roadmap for organizations to create and certify spaces that advance human health and well-being. The network of WELL champions spans more than 28,000 credentialed and registered WELL APs, over 300 WELL Faculty and more than 30 WELL Enterprise Providers (WELL EPs) – all united by the commitment to advance health across buildings, organizations and communities.

What some members of IWBI’s Governance Council are saying:

“For leading organizations aiming to retain and attract top talent, enhance employee satisfaction and boost productivity, WELL has become the go-to tool—adopted around the world, integrated across building portfolios and embedded in organizational policies,” said Yasushi Kinoshita, Representative Member, Eminence Partners G.K.; Chair, Green Building Japan; and IWBI Governance Council member. “As WELL hits this global milestone, what’s clear is that employers around the world now fully realize the link between health, performance and organizational success.”

“Through my many years of work focused on workplace well-being and performance, I’ve come to understand how profoundly people interact with their buildings—both consciously and unconsciously. Whether it’s comfort of their workspace, the temperature of the room, the quality of the air they breathe, or the lighting that supports (or hinders) their work, these factors shape daily experience in significant ways,” said Ali Khan, CEO of SHAPE Global and IWBI Governance Council member. “This is exactly where WELL shines. And the fact that WELL has hit this global adoption milestone only reinforces what we’re seeing firsthand: employees in WELL projects feel better supported and genuinely empowered because of both the design of their space and the values of the organization in advancing health and performance-focused improvements.”

“WELL’s exponential global growth is unfolding alongside a deepening interest from the investment community who increasingly want to understand how organizations are investing in health and well-being—across portfolios, policies and people,” said Dr. Tauni Lanier, Director, Sustainability and Economic Growth, BDO, and IWBI Governance Council member. “These investors are asking for this information for a reason: because investments in health and well-being serve as powerful indicators of long-term financial performance and resilience. This pattern creates a positive feedback loop, where deploying WELL not only supports organizational goals but signals to investors that a company is future-ready, resilient and committed to the creativity and culture that drives lasting value.”

*Calculation is based on a conservative per-square-foot global average, accounting for increased value of properties that implement healthy building strategies and certifications, and higher quality of locations in key urban markets.

About the International WELL Building Institute

The International WELL Building Institute (IWBI) is a public benefit corporation and the global authority for transforming health and well-being in buildings, organizations and communities. In pursuit of its public-health mission, IWBI mobilizes its community through the development and administration of the WELL Building Standard (WELL), WELL for residential, WELL Community Standard, its WELL ratings and management of the WELL AP credential. IWBI also translates research into practice, develops educational resources and advocates for policies that promote people-first places for everyone, everywhere. More information on WELL can be found here.

International WELL Building Institute, IWBI, the WELL Building Standard, WELL v2, WELL Certified, WELL AP, WELL EP, WELL Score, The WELL Conference, We Are WELL, the WELL Community Standard, WELL Health-Safety Rated, WELL Performance Rated, WELL Equity Rated, WELL Equity, WELL Coworking Rated, WELL Residence, Works with WELL, WELL and others, and their related logos are trademarks or certification marks of International WELL Building Institute pbc in the United States and other countries.

Media contact: media@wellcertified.com

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The urgency of global environmental challenges demands more than individual company efforts. It requires systemic change, and as a recent panel discussion at Reuters Responsible Business 2025 highlighted, multi-stakeholder partnerships aren’t just beneficial, they’re crucial for accelerating sustainability goals.

Hosted by Antea Group USA and expertly moderated by our own Angie Dickson, the panel “Beyond Silos: Driving Systemic Change Through Collective Action” brought together leading voices from the Beverage Industry Environmental Roundtable (BIER) and the Healthcare Plastics Recycling Council (HPRC). Panelists included Matthew Blandford (Senior Manager Climate and Water, Suntory Global Spirits), Erica Pann (Executive Director, BIER), Milagro Lopez (Americas Marketing Lead, DuPont), and Adam Wozniak (Senior Manager of Sustainability, Ravago). Their insights offered a powerful look into how industry-driven forums are achieving impactful environmental progress.

Why Collective Action? It’s About Shared Challenges and Scaled Solutions

The conversation kicked off by addressing the fundamental question: Why join a consortium? Matthew Blandford of Suntory Global Spirits shared that BIER, established in 2006, provided crucial alignment on sustainability metric measurement and reporting. Simple yet vital things like defining “water use vs. consumption” helped eliminate inconsistencies across their peer group, accelerating internal discussions and real progress. He emphasized that many challenges, from increasing recycling rates and securing recycled material availability to defining demand for low-energy coolers or scaling improvements in regenerative agriculture, simply “cannot be solved by going it alone.”

Erica Pann underscored that BIER formed because environmental challenges are “too complex, too interconnected, and too urgent for any one company to tackle alone.” Water, for instance, a core ingredient for the beverage industry, “doesn’t follow corporate boundaries,” necessitating collective action, local alignment and long-term partnership for large-scale water stewardship projects and tackling climate resilience across the value chain.

Similarly, Milagro Lopez explained that DuPont, a founding member of HPRC in 2010, saw the value in understanding the broader value chain challenges in healthcare plastics. The coalition aims to enable safe, viable, and cost-effective recycling solutions for plastic products and packaging in healthcare, advocating for sustainability and a circular economy.

Adam Wozniak passionately articulated that HPRC embodies “collaborative partnerships” and “flattens silos.” This allows diverse companies, including competitors, to share questions and learn from each other in a highly regulated, complex industry. He highlighted that “plastics unto itself is a challenging thing because of the different classifications and different types,” and addressing these complexities demands a united front to deliver complementary technologies that offer carbon reduction solutions.

Tangible Progress Through Pre-Competitive Collaboration

The panel moved beyond theory, offering concrete examples of how collective action translates into real-world impact and amplifies efforts:

• Glass Recycling in Kentucky (BIER): Matthew Blandford shared a groundbreaking initiative where three BIER member companies with a strong footprint in Kentucky (a state with low recycling rates) partnered with a glass supplier and a third party. They collaboratively funded and created a new recycling entity focused on processing glass in the greater Louisville area. This effort directly provides recycled cullet back into the regional glass market, collectively driving up recycled content for the industry as a whole—a powerful example of pre-competitive collaboration for broader benefit.
• Healthcare Plastic Circularity & Advanced Recycling (HPRC): Adam Wozniak underscored that “collaborative partnerships are critical to driving circularity in healthcare.” HPRC unites hospitals, medical device manufacturers (MDMs), recyclers, resin producers, and policymakers to design smarter products and enable advanced recycling. He cited HPRC’s work in conducting sortation studies and demonstrating that hospital plastics are “very clean feedstocks,” suitable for advanced recycling technologies. He emphasized HPRC’s role in establishing crucial end markets and helping to create infrastructure, even advocating for the inclusion of advanced recycling in Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) frameworks.
• Accelerating Individual Company Goals: Milagro Lopez illustrated how HPRC participation accelerates DuPont’s own sustainability journey. He shared an example of a new DuPont product, “Tyvek® with Renewable Attribution (RA),” which shifted from 100% fossil-based feedstock to incorporating 30% bio-circular feedstock. This innovation, informed by collaborative insights, directly contributes to a one-third reduction in CO2 emissions, addressing crucial Scope 3 emissions.

Navigating the Complexities: Building Trust and Sharpening Focus

Driving change collectively isn’t without its hurdles. Erica Pann candidly admitted the work is “super challenging,” as member companies have unique realities including different business models, regulatory requirements, sustainability maturity. The key, she noted, is to aim for “strategic coherence”—finding “just enough common ground to come together”—rather than forcing full alignment.

Matthew Blandford powerfully added that in-person meetings twice a year are invaluable. These face-to-face interactions build relationships, and the trust needed to navigate difficult conversations. When discussions become too broad, BIER leadership will step back to “narrow the scope” and agree on what the consortium can and should address, ensuring actionable objectives.

Adam Wozniak discussed challenges like antitrust concerns with competitors at the table, emphasizing strict “Chatham House Rules” for discussions to maintain focus on shared sustainability goals. He stressed the importance of collaborating to understand “design for recyclability,” noting that 80% of a product’s environmental impact is determined during the design phase.

The panel also addressed the challenge of supplier disclosure requests, acknowledging the “20 questionnaires asking the same thing” burden. While full alignment isn’t yet achieved, BIER and HPRC are actively working with other consortia to standardize approaches, understanding that “inaction is cost.”

The Future is Action: Less Talk, More Impact

The conversation converged on a powerful, shared vision: action over talk.

Erica Pann underscored, “If you’re waiting for the perfect set of circumstances to arise, you might be waiting for a long time.” She urged, “Let’s do it together.” Matthew Blandford passionately concluded, “Collective action is all about action, getting things done. The big issues of the day need big action and big solutions, not big talk.” He emphasized that alignment and driving forward, even if not perfect initially, lead to “larger, faster, and more repeatable impact.”

Adam Wozniak echoed this sentiment, stating that “collective action and collaborative partnerships are essential to solving some of the most pressing environmental challenges of our time.” He framed advancing circularity as “our generation’s ‘Race to Space’,” empowering true transformation and building new pathways to sustainability that deliver lasting social, economic, and environmental impact.

The panel left no doubt: while challenges exist, the benefits of shared vision, trust, and concerted effort through forums like BIER and HPRC far outweigh them. It’s through this collaborative spirit that systemic change is unlocked, and progress toward a more sustainable future is truly accelerated.

• Continued to scale human rights due diligence across global operations and supply chains, with ~96% of owned plants and ~98% of prioritized supplier sites audited in the last three years.¹
• Trained more than 50,000 colleagues since launching Human Rights Policy in 2021.
• Advanced efforts to help prevent child labor and support community resilience, expanding Child Labor Monitoring & Remediation Systems to cover ~89% of Cocoa Life communities in West Africa by the end of 2024.

CHICAGO, July 9, 2025 /3BL/ – Mondelēz International, Inc. (Nasdaq: MDLZ) released its 2024 Human Rights Due Diligence and Modern Slavery Report, outlining the company’s progress in helping to prevent, identify, and address potential human rights and modern slavery risks across its operations and value chain.

“Doing what’s right is ingrained in our Snacking Made Right mission. We strive to embed human rights due diligence into how we do business every day,” said Chris McGrath, Chief Impact & Sustainability Officer, Mondelēz International. “The scale of challenges needs increased focus and meaningful partnerships – and we continue to evolve and make progress on both fronts. We have strong execution plans that we believe will continue to support our growth around the world, underpinned by our focus on promoting a culture where everyone is treated with care and integrity.”

Scaling and Enhancing Due Diligence across the Value Chain 
Beyond information included in the 2024 Report released today, Mondelēz International continues to strengthen its human rights due diligence (HRDD) across both its own operations and supplier network: 

• ~96% of owned manufacturing sites and ~98% of prioritized suppliers have completed third-party SMETA audits in the past 3 years.
• HRDD coverage has been expanded to increase coverage of suppliers’ manufacturing and logistic sites handling the company’s finished products.
• Since launching its dedicated Human Rights Policy in 2021, the company has trained more than ~50,000 colleagues on human rights issues, including ~7,000 in manufacturing and logistics, and ~3,000 in key stewardship roles.

As part of its focus on prioritized ingredients, Mondelēz International continued scaling its signature cocoa sustainability program Cocoa Life in 2024: 

• Partnering with around 208,000 farmers and backed by a $1 billion investment from 2012 through 2030.
• As of year-end 2024, approximately 89% of Cocoa Life communities in West Africa – representing approximately 2,480 communities – are covered by Child Labor Monitoring & Remediation System (CLMRS).
• The company aims to cover all West African Cocoa Life communities with a CLMRS by the end of 2025 and has conducted more than 240,000 interviews to help prevent child labor.

Cocoa Life’s integrated approach focused on developing ways to help make cocoa farming more profitable, help protect and restore forests and help lift local cocoa communities. This includes efforts focused on women’s empowerment, income diversification, and entrepreneurship through Village Savings and Loan Associations and partnerships with CARE International.

Sector Collaboration to Accelerate Impact 
Mondelēz International believes addressing systemic human rights issues in ingredient supply chains needs collaboration between governments, industry, and civil society. To help address child labor in the West African Cocoa supply chain, in 2024, the company deepened its support for sector-wide systemic solutions, through its continued support and investment of ~$3million from 2022 to 2026 in the Child Learning and Education Facility (CLEF), which aims to reach over 4 million children by transforming rural education in Cote d’Ivoire. 

Building on the success of the CLEF initiative, Mondelēz International is supporting the development of a new public-private partnership, the System Change Architecture for Learning Excellence (SCALE) initiative to help improve the quality of education in Ghana with an investment of ~$1million over the next four years.

• SCALE is innovating how national-level financing can be unlocked.
• To date, three philanthropic partners and 10 cocoa and chocolate companies have joined forces to support SCALE — a collaborative co-funding mechanism that will inject further funds into the Ghana Accountability for Learning Outcomes Project (GALOP), a five-year governmental initiative seeking to improve the quality of education in low-performing basic education (ages 4-15) schools and strengthen the education sector across Ghana. It focuses on strengthening teaching capacity, accountability and leadership systems, access to high-quality school resources, and better operational management.
• It is the first time that private and philanthropic organizations have raised enough finance to trigger the Global Partnership for Education’s (GPE) Multiplier Grant in Ghana.
• By pooling US$40 million, SCALE partners were able to unlock an additional US$40 million from GPE to support GALOP.

Beyond cocoa, the company’s multiple collaborations with industry coalitions help support the company’s progress and human rights efforts. These include: 

• Co-chairing the Consumer Goods Forum (CGF) Human Rights Coalition, to help shape industry leading practices. This year, Mondelēz supported the development of the Best Practice Note on Human Rights Defenders which aims to inspire businesses in helping to better protect human rights defenders.
• Supporting World Cocoa Foundation’s (WCF) vision to catalyze a thriving and equitable cocoa sector.
• Serving as a member of the International Cocoa Initiative (ICI) Board of Directors to support sector-wide progress in addressing child labor in West African cocoa.
• Joining the Coalition for Responsible Sugarcane India (CRSI) to help strengthen human rights practices in India’s sugarcane sector.
• Co-chairing the CAOBISCO’s partnership with the International Labor Organization to help combat child labor in seasonal harvesting of hazelnuts in Turkey.
• Partnering with WageMap, a new initiative to drive alignment across living wage methodologies and frameworks.

Our Human Rights Approach 
At Mondelēz International, we are committed to making our snacks the right way, including respecting the human rights of people in our value chain. As part of our business practices, we use the United Nations Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights (UNGPs) as a guide to prevent and mitigate associated risks, supporting our commitment to fostering a safe, healthy and sustainable working environment, as detailed in our Human Rights Policy.

About Mondelēz International
Mondelēz International, Inc. (Nasdaq: MDLZ) empowers people to snack right in over 150 countries around the world. With 2024 net revenues of approximately $36.4 billion, MDLZ is leading the future of snacking with iconic global and local brands such as Oreo, Ritz, LU, Clif Bar and Tate’s Bake Shop biscuits and baked snacks, as well as Cadbury Dairy Milk, Milka and Toblerone chocolate. Mondelēz International is a proud member of the Dow Jones Best-in-Class North America and World Indices, formerly Dow Jones Sustainability Indices. Visit www.mondelezinternational.com or follow the company on X at x.com/MDLZ. 

Contacts:

Maggie McKerr
1-847-943-5678
news@mdlz.com
 
¹ We aim to regularly and transparently report our progress. You can find additional details on Mondelēz International’s ESG goals and reported information within the About This Report section of our 2024 Snacking Made Right Report.

SWORDS, Ireland, July 9, 2025 /3BL/ – Trane Technologies (NYSE:TT), a global climate innovator, has been recognized for its dedication to fostering an empowering and uplifting workplace culture by Great Place To Work®. The company recently achieved Great Place To Work® Certification™ in the United States for the fifth consecutive year and secured a spot on India’s Best Companies To Work For list for the second consecutive year.

“Delivering on our purpose-driven strategy starts with our people and inclusive culture,” said Mairéad Magner, senior vice president and chief human resources officer, Trane Technologies. “Being recognized as a Great Place To Work® in the United States and India is a testament to the passion and commitment of our global team members. The more we prioritize and invest in their growth and development, the better we’re able to fuel our innovation, strengthen our culture and drive our overall growth as a company.”

To ensure our employees thrive, Trane Technologies offers comprehensive benefits to address the physical, social, emotional, and financial well-being needs of team members, their partners and dependent children, ensuring inclusive coverage that reflects the company’s culture. Trane Technologies also provides team members comprehensive learning and development solutions designed to further support career growth, including its tuition advancement program and Technician Apprenticeship Program (TAP) for aspiring technicians.

Trane Technologies is consistently recognized as a top employer globally with recent awards including being named to the Fortune’s World’s Most Admired Companies list for the 13^th consecutive year and was ranked 6^th overall in the 2025 JUST 100. The company was also named to Ethisphere’s World’s Most Ethical Companies® list for the second consecutive year.

Trane Technologies is looking for passionate, pioneering people connected by a bold purpose. Visit our careers page to learn more.

# # #

About Trane Technologies
Trane Technologies is a global climate innovator. Through our strategic brands Trane® and Thermo King®, and our portfolio of environmentally responsible products and services, we bring efficient and sustainable climate solutions to buildings, homes and transportation. Visit tranetechnologies.com.

About Great Place To Work®
As the global authority on workplace culture, Great Place To Work® brings 30 years of groundbreaking research and data to help every place become a great place to work for all. Their proprietary platform and For All™ Model helps companies evaluate the experience of every employee, with exemplary workplaces becoming Great Place To Work Certified™ or receiving recognition on a coveted Best Workplaces™ List. Learn more at greatplacetowork.com and follow Great Place To Work on LinkedIn, Twitter, Facebook and Instagram.

Geoff Martha, Medtronic CEO, and his wife recently visited the Wildlife Science Center to see how Medtronic healthcare technology is helping improve wildlife conservation. Read Geoff’s post on LinkedIn:

Recently, my wife and I had the chance to visit the Wildlife Science Center in Minnesota and see something truly special. Over the past few years, Medtronic has been collaborating with the Smithsonian’s National Zoo and Conservation Biology Institute and the Wildlife Science Center to use our LINQ™ cardiac monitors in a completely unexpected way — on wolves and other wild species. With the help of Tim Laske and the amazing team at the Center, research is well underway to build a deeper understanding of wolf physiology that can help improve both wild conservation and captive care, including for critically endangered species like the red wolf and Mexican grey wolf. Animals around the world are being implanted with our LINQ™ cardiac monitors to continue learning more about their physiology, response to the environment and help track endangered species as well.

What makes this project particularly special is the dedication of Medtronic employees who volunteer their time and expertise to support this important work. Their commitment exemplifies Tenet 6 of our Mission: to be a good citizen — globally. I left inspired by the passion of our people, our research partners, and reminded how far technology and compassion can reach — even into the wild. 

Watch how LINQ is advancing conservation science and helping to improve quality of life in wolves: https://bit.ly/4dOKL7G
Learn more about the Wildlife Science Center: https://bit.ly/4dRugb5

TOKYO, July 9, 2025 /3BL/ – Federal Express Corporation, one of the world’s largest express transportation companies, announced the six winners of the 2025 FedEx/Junior Achievement International Trade Challenge (FedEx/JA ITC) Japan Finals. These talented individuals will move forward to compete in the FedEx/JA ITC Asia Pacific regional finals, scheduled for August 2025.

For 17 years, FedEx has partnered with JA Japan to nurture the future leaders of Japan’s business community. The ITC program involves students in team-based activities and specialized workshops, focusing on global trade, and facilitated by FedEx and JA Japan. This initiative aims to provide young entrepreneurs with essential skills for their future success.

This year, the students were challenged to develop a market entry strategy targeting China for a sustainable product that reduces fast fashion waste from returns. Their ideas showcased critical thinking, creativity, and a deep understanding of sustainable business solutions relevant to today’s global landscape.

The six students who will represent Japan at the regionals are:
Names of students: Miki Kamochi, Haruki Kawamata
School location: Tokyo, Japan
Product: DimensionView
Product presented: A compact stick device that connects to monitors to display clothing images in actual, real-world sizes on screens. This allows online shoppers to view garments in true scale, minimizing sizing errors and contributing to lower return rates.

Names of students: Tomoharu Hayakawa, Yui Motoishi
School location: Tokyo, Japan
Product: SnapFit
Product presented: An app-enabled solution that captures body measurements and applies them to a personalized avatar, allowing users to try on clothing virtually. This tool is designed to reduce return rates caused by inaccurate sizing or mismatched style preferences.

Names of students: Sumire Yamamoto, Riyo Shimizu
School location: Tokyo, Japan
Product: StitchSnap
Product presented: A service that prints photos onto fabric using images submitted by users. Inspired by the fan culture boom in China, users can create customized items like t-shirts and bags with their favorite photos. By utilizing fabric from discarded clothing, this solution also helps reduce textile waste resulting from product returns.

At the regional finals in Singapore, the winners from Japan will be paired with students from other markets and compete against finalists from Hong Kong, Indonesia, Korea, Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, and Vietnam. This offers a unique opportunity for Japanese students to collaborate, exchange ideas, and engage in constructive discussions with peers from diverse cultural backgrounds.

“We are truly impressed by the creativity and dedication displayed by all of the ITC student participants this year. Their critical thinking skills and ability to develop innovative solutions highlight their potential as future business leaders for Japan and the global community,” said Ken McMahon, Managing Director, Asia-Pacific Customer Solutions & Special Services, FedEx. “The FedEx/JA ITC program is an important step in helping students develop the skills and confidence needed to navigate the complexities of the global marketplace and an increasingly uncertain future.”

Since its introduction to Japan in 2008, FedEx/JA ITC has continued to strengthen its commitment to helping students better understand the nuances of international trade. So far, the program has attracted over 2,400 high school students.

More information about the 2025 FedEx/JA ITC can be found on the JA Japan website https://www.ja-japan.org/contests/ITC.html.

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

Cascale was proud to join global apparel leaders in London for the official launch of the Apparel and Textile Transformation Initiative (ATTI) – a manufacturer-led, nationally grounded, and globally coordinated effort to accelerate environmental transformation across the apparel and textile sector.

Convened by the International Apparel Federation (IAF) and the International Textile Manufacturers Federation (ITMF), the event drew manufacturers, brands, federations, and civil society into a unified call for bold, localized action and a rebalancing of industry systems to better support those driving production.

Opening remarks from Matthijs Crietee (IAF secretary general) and Cem Altan (IAF president) laid the foundation for a day focused on structural change, while Christian Schindler (ITMF director general) emphasized that ATTI is designed not to compete with existing initiatives but to fill a critical gap; centering manufacturers in transformation efforts that have often been brand-led or fragmented.

Lindita Xhaferi-Salihu, business engagement lead for global climate action at UN Climate Change, spoke to the complexity of the current moment, urging the industry to move beyond isolated efforts and toward truly collaborative models that include policy, finance, and operational stakeholders. She emphasized that the pressure cannot fall solely on sustainability teams, and that systems change demands cross-functional and cross-sector alignment.

The core focus of the event was unpacking the ATTI model, which first prioritizes a needs assessments and collaborative solution design. From there, implementation can expand toward national chapters, which are to be decided. Speakers such as Miran Ali (ATTI global council, Bangladesh) and Selçuk Mehmet Kaya (İHKİB sustainability committee president) spoke candidly about the ongoing mismatch between brand expectations and manufacturer realities, citing rising demands with little corresponding support. Both emphasized the need for greater accountability from brands and a commitment to shared investment in decarbonization.

From the brand side, Fernando de Bunes (Inditex’s chief risk officer) and Felicity Tapsell (BESTSELLER’s head of responsible sourcing) affirmed their support for ATTI’s practical, country-focused structure. They stressed the importance of building transformation plans that respond to the national context and working directly with manufacturers to identify systemic barriers.

Later in the program, Eva von Alvensleben, executive director of The Fashion Pact, framed ATTI as a much-needed mechanism to connect initiatives, scale impact, and ensure manufacturers have a seat at the table. She highlighted the role of coalition-building to unlock industry-wide transformation, even when the path is complex and sometimes messy.

Andrew Martin, executive vice president at Cascale, highlighted the alignment between ATTI and the Industry Decarbonization Roadmap (IDR), a collaborative, industry-wide initiative to accelerate greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions reductions across the textile, apparel, and footwear value chain, aiming for a 45 percent reduction by 2030. It moves the industry from ambition to measurable action — prioritizing high-impact facilities while supporting scalable, inclusive, and commercially viable pathways to decarbonization. Initially catalyzed by Cascale and the Apparel Impact Institute (Aii), the IDR is now designed as an open, evolving platform for collective industry leadership and action.

Martin described ATTI as a natural complement to the IDR’s goals of supporting national transformation pathways with global coordination: “Manufacturers know what needs to be done. What they’re asking for is alignment. Not ten different targets and twenty different timelines from brands. Brand alignment came out as the top barrier in our recent polling of manufacturers at our Cascale Forum event in Ho Chi Minh City – not finance, not tech. Alignment.”

He also emphasized the importance of avoiding duplication and building trust through meaningful support. “We’re bringing what we can — harmonized data, brand engagement, and credible partnerships. But this only works if manufacturers are the ones leading the agenda.”

Andres Bragagnini, senior manager of strategic engagement at Aii, underscored the need for coordinated action that integrates technical solutions, financing mechanisms, and manufacturer-led planning. He outlined how ATTI complements the IDR’s intent to focus action in high-impact production countries by putting solutions directly into manufacturers’ hands.

As the event concluded, speakers and participants agreed that ATTI represents a fresh opportunity to address climate targets through grounded, practical collaboration. With manufacturers leading, brands aligning, and organizations like Cascale and Aii providing trusted support, the industry has a clearer path to deliver on its 2030 climate goals.

“This is a dream come true,” Martin concluded. “For years, we’ve been trying to connect the dots – harmonizing data, aligning with brand expectations, and localizing implementation. ATTI brings all of that together, but crucially, it puts manufacturers in the driver’s seat.”

We explore why packaging matters—how cartons ensure food safety, what happens after they’re used, and how we can keep their materials in circulation.

Most of us don’t often consider what happens to our milk or juice cartons once they’re empty. But the truth is, cartons do more than just contain food and drink—they protect it. Through a combination of aseptic technology and packaging-material structure, they help preserve the colour, texture, and taste of perishable food, keeping it safe for longer without the need for refrigeration or preservatives.

By extending shelf-life and allowing perishable food to be transported and stored without cooling, cartons help increase food accessibility while reducing food waste—a win for both people and the planet.

“People tend to take food packaging for granted,” says Lars Holmquist, Executive Vice President Sustainability at Tetra Pak. “But as the global population grows and pressures on resources increase, it is crucial to view food packaging in a holistic way. Packaging must provide better access to perishable food while protecting people and the planet.”

A circular future for materials

Unlike fossil fuel-based single-use packaging, cartons are primarily made from paperboard sourced from FSC™-certified forests and other controlled sources. This means they come from renewable materials that can be replenished, when sourced responsibly. It also gives them a lower carbon footprint compared to single-use packaging made primarily from fossil fuel-based materials in the dairy and juice categories¹—a small switch that can make a big difference.

“As the global population grows and pressures on resources increase, it is crucial to view food packaging in a holistic way. Packaging must provide better access to perishable food while protecting people and the planet.” 

A carton’s value doesn’t end after it is used. Where collection, sorting, and recycling infrastructure exists at scale, cartons can be recycled. When repurposed, their high-quality paper fibres can be transformed into new products like boxes and shopping bags, while non-fibre materials can find new life in warehouse pallets, crates, outdoor furniture, floor panels, and even car parts.

The power of collective action

The challenge of transforming an empty carton into something else of value requires more than just infrastructure—it demands awareness, participation, and collective action.

“As a world leader in food processing and packaging solutions, we are in a unique position to drive the sustainability transformation of food systems,” says Lars Holmquist. “We are constantly working with stakeholders across the recycling value chain to strengthen carton-recycling infrastructure as well, making it more efficient and widely available.”

Governments, businesses, and consumers must work together to ensure that recycling systems are efficient, accessible, and widely adopted. Investments in sorting and collection technology are critical, and so is fostering a culture where recycling is second nature.

The power of the carton

Sustainability is not a destination, but a journey—one that evolves with innovation, collaboration, and a shared commitment. By continuously developing new materials, helping to improve recycling processes, and working alongside communities and policymakers, leaders in the packaging industry are shaping the future of the food system for generations to come.

Because when you recycle a carton, you’re not just disposing of something you no longer need: you’re actively keeping valuable materials in use and contributing to a more resilient and sustainable world. And that’s a simple choice that makes a lasting impact.

Originally published on GoDaddy LinkedIn

GoDaddy Small Business Research Lab

Welcome to the latest edition of the GoDaddy Small Business Research Lab update! First – the name change: GoDaddy Small Business Research Lab is the new name for Venture Forward. What began in 2018 as Venture Forward in the U.S. only has grown into a global research effort with tracking the rise and impact of online small and microbusinesses. Since 2018, we’ve also surveyed more than 60,000 entrepreneurs to better understand how they’re shaping local economies. If you are new to our work, we define microbusinesses as ventures with a unique GoDaddy domain, an active website, and typically fewer than 10 employees.

The new name reflects the evolution and growth of our research program, aligning more closely with GoDaddy’s strength as a partner to small businesses everywhere. The name change was also driven by the expanding scope of our analysis.

What’s not changing is our mission: our research, partnerships, and resources will remain focused on empowering others with fresh insights that matter most – in a way that uniquely blends granular and big-picture insights. Whether you’re a policymaker, entrepreneur, academic, journalist or just curious about small business trends, you’re in the right place.

Now, this edition features updated Q1 numbers, the 2025 economic impact of microbusinesses updated, insights on small business owner outlooks, and more!

Finally, we always welcome your feedback. If something in this issue sparks a thought, please share it. And if you haven’t subscribed yet, join us on LinkedIn to get new insights as soon as they’re live quarterly.

Warmly,

Alexandra Rosen 

Global Head of the GoDaddy Small Business Research Lab

Microbusiness Data Hub: Latest Updates Now Live

Our Data Hub is refreshed through Q1/March 2025 across the U.S., U.K., Canada, and Australia. The update includes:

• Monthly microbusiness density trends
• The latest U.S. Microbusiness Activity Index
• Global e-commerce sector rankings by country

Below, you’ll also find:

• The top five e-commerce industries by country

COUNTRY	TOP	2ND	3RD	4TH	5TH
U.S.	Beauty	Health/Medical	Retail	Fitness/Wellness	Fashion
U.K.	Beauty	Health/Medical	Pets	Fitness/Wellness	Retail
Canada	Beauty	Health/Medical	Fitness/Wellness	Sports	Professional Services
Australia	Health/Medical	Beauty	Sports	Fitness/Wellness Education

Source: GoDaddy Small Business Research Lab, Q1 2025

• The areas with the highest microbusiness density (microbusinesses per 100 people)

COUNTRY	TOP	2ND	3RD	4TH	5TH
U.S. (Metros > 400K Pop.)	Ft Lauderdale, FL	Las Vegas, NV	Ventura, CA	Tulsa, OK	Provo, UT
Microbusiness Density	21	20	17	17	17
U.K (Constituencies)	Cities of London and Westminster	Holborn and St Pancras	St Albans	Stoke-on-Trent South	Hackney South and Shoreditch
Microbusiness Density	26	10	19		9
Canada (Provinces/Territories)	British Columbia	Ontario	Alberta	Quebec	Yukon
Microbusiness Density	3	3	2	2	2
Australia (SA3)	Canberra East	Sydney Inner City	Adelaide City	Port Phillip	Melbourne City
Microbusiness Density	13	12	6	5	6

Source: GoDaddy Small Business Research Lab, Q1 2025

To take a look at the newest findings and see what’s shifting:

Download the full dataset

2025 Economic Impact: How Microbusinesses Move Local Economies

New findings from our ongoing partnership with UCLA Anderson Forecast economists show just how impactful microbusinesses are at the local level:

1. Job creation grows: Each additional microbusiness owner adds over seven jobs in their county up from last year, and from just two back in 2018.
2. Median household income is up: A 1% increase in the number of online microbusinesses is associated with a 6% increase in median household income (county-level) and 1% increase in entrepreneurs lifts median household income by 2% (county-level)
3. Unemployment decreases: Adding ew microbusinesses continues to lower local unemployment at the county-level

U.S. National Survey – May 2025: Optimism and Caution

Our latest U.S. national survey reveals both resilience and recalibration:

• 49% of owners expect the U.S. economy to weaken, and that’s up 17 points from last year
• 60% still report positive outlooks about their business’ revenue over the next 6 months
• 40% say they’ll remain solo entrepreneurs, up from 36%, signalling a lifestyle-first mindset
• Financial concerns is the primary headache/stressor for business owners (80%), followed by work-life balance (58%) and competition (37%)
• Only 8% cite capital access as their biggest barrier, down from 10%, suggesting a slightly improved funding landscape

Get the full picture.

Most Entrepreneurial Cities of 2025: Is Your Hometown On the List?

We’ve released our annual rankings spotlighting where entrepreneurship is booming in the U.S., U.K., and Australia. The data points to a diverse set of cities fueling new business creation with many of them well outside the usual hotspots.

A few standout takeaways:

• San Francisco saw a 122% spike in new microbusinesses
• Katy, TX; Wilmington, NC; and Alameda, CA joined the top 10
• In the U.K., London remains a leader, but Aberdeen and Brighton are climbing fast
• In Australia, Bundaberg outpaced Sydney with a 178% surge

This campaign celebrates the builders behind the boom, and the places making it possible. Explore the full rankings and download official city seals

GoDaddy Data Featured in the U.S. Chamber’s Forecast Update

GoDaddy’s data was cited in the U.S. Chamber of Commerce’s Small Business Weekly Forecast, a trusted source for tracking trends in American entrepreneurship.

See the insights informing national conversations on Small Business topics

In the News

United States Microbusiness Owners Remain Optimistic – Entrepreneur GoDaddy’s latest survey shows that most U.S. microbusiness owners are expecting revenue growth despite broader economic concerns. Many are choosing to stay small by design; prioritizing freedom, flexibility, and fit. Explore the full story at Entrepreneur

United Kingdom Startup Growth Booming Across the North – Evening Standard New GoDaddy data reveals that 40% of the U.K.’s fastest-growing startup areas are in the North with towns like Barrow-in-Furness, Burnley, and Birkenhead seeing more than 70% year-over-year growth. See the regional breakdown in the Evening Standard

Australia Bundaberg Tops List for Startup Growth – IT Brief / Courier Mail Bundaberg led Australia with a remarkable 178% increase in new small businesses in 2024. That is more than doubling Sydney’s growth rate. Local registrations and regional investment data tell the story of a rising entrepreneurial hub. Catch the full report from IT Brief and Courier Mail

Canada Canadian Entrepreneurs Turning to AI for a Competitive Edge – Canadian Manufacturing According to GoDaddy research, 28% of Canadian microbusiness owners are already using AI for content creation, summarization, and automation. These AI adopters are also more likely to project revenue growth and hiring plans. Dig into the findings at Canadian Manufacturing

Got feedback? A story to share? Leave a comment below!

Until next time,

The GoDaddy Small Business Research Lab Team

 

 

 

 

 

Source: GoDaddy Small Business Research Lab, Q1 2025

We’re honored to share that Workiva was named a “leader” in the Verdantix 2025 Green Quadrant for ESG & Sustainability Reporting Software.

This is the second time in a row that Workiva earned a leadership position in the Verdantix Green Quadrant on ESG and sustainability reporting. It’s the third time this year that an industry analyst firm named Workiva a leader for its sustainability products, including the IDC MarketScape: Worldwide ESG Reporting and Compliance Management Applications 2025 Vendor Assessment.

The Green Quadrant noted the following strengths for Workiva:

Integrated reporting 

“The Workiva platform’s integrated reporting capabilities include a Designed Reporting suite and ICML export for downstream formatting, with live data linking ensuring source updates are reflected in disclosures in real time.“

Market-leading auditability

“The Workiva platform’s collaborative model enables geographically dispersed teams to collect, review and consolidate data efficiently, with real-time co-authoring, version control and group-based permissions.”

Sustainability management 

“Workiva offers a mature solution for organizations aiming to produce investor-grade sustainability disclosures.”

Strategic alignment in a single platform

“With its background in financial reporting and governance, risk and compliance (GRC), Workiva offers a strong fit for organizations looking to unify these reporting domains under one roof.”

Criteria evaluated in the Green Quadrant 

The Green Quadrant measures the depth and breadth of offerings that are most important to customers, some of which include:

• Data management: “What functionality is available to facilitate data acquisition across E, S and G metrics internal to the organization? How is AI being used for internal data acquisition?”
• Data quality control and enhancement: “How does your software facilitate the identification of missing or incorrect input data? How is AI being used within the platform to identify missing data?”
• Engagement tools: “What tools does your software have to support team collaboration (e.g., across geographies, business functions)? What tools does the software have to engage with employees who are not the primary users of the software?”
• Workflows and auditability: “What tools does the software have to configure workflows and escalation pathways? What functionality is available to manage the approval process for ESG data and disclosures?”

We invite you to explore the Verdantix Green Quadrant report. If you’d like to see the Workiva platform in action, request a demo.