Tag: 3BL

Originally published on July 22, 2025 on LinkedIn.

Big things are happening for sustainable seafood! 

Last week, Seaweedish™ Meatballs were served at the United Nations Headquarters in NYC, spotlighted at the UN Conference on Trade and Development as a product advancing key Sustainable Development Goals — from ocean health to gender equity.

This moment wouldn’t have been possible without our incredible partners at North Coast Seafoods. Thanks to their innovation and our national rollout through Sysco’s Cutting Edge Solutions program, this kelp-powered product is now making global waves.

About Sysco

Sysco is the global leader in selling, marketing and distributing food products to restaurants, healthcare and educational facilities, lodging establishments and other customers who prepare meals away from home. Its family of products also includes equipment and supplies for the foodservice and hospitality industries. With more than 76,000 colleagues, the company operates 340 distribution facilities worldwide and serves approximately 730,000 customer locations. For fiscal year 2024 that ended June 29, 2024, the company generated sales of more than $78 billion. Information about our Sustainability program, including Sysco’s 2023 Sustainability Report and 2023 Diversity, Equity & Inclusion Report, can be found at www.sysco.com.

 For more information, visit www.sysco.com or connect with Sysco on Facebook at www.facebook.com/SyscoFoods. For important news and information regarding Sysco, visit the Investor Relations section of the company’s Internet home page at investors.sysco.com, which Sysco plans to use as a primary channel for publishing key information to its investors, some of which may contain material and previously non-public information. In addition, investors should continue to review our news releases and filings with the SEC. It is possible that the information we disclose through any of these channels of distribution could be deemed to be material information.

View original content here.

 

By Candace Higginbotham

Nonprofits across the country are facing a new set of challenges in the current economic environment.

Budget constraints are a longstanding issue for community organizations. But for many, those challenges have intensified with recent changes in government funding.

Gina Sian, head of Regions Bank’s Making Life Better Institute, recognizes the pressure this places on nonprofits and understands the hurdles leaders face.

For the past five years, the Regions Community Engagement team has been hosting the Important Insights for Community Organizations webinar series that leverages Regions’ inhouse knowledge and experience to provide assistance where it’s needed most, at no cost.

Staff development is one area that kept bubbling up as Sian engaged with nonprofits about their challenges.

“‘No money, no mission’ is a phrase many nonprofits are familiar with,” Sian said. “But an even more critical factor to their success is their team. Engaging people who care about your mission, have the necessary skills to implement your vision, and the willingness to grow with your organization is not an easy task, most especially when you have limited resources.”

‘No money, no mission’ is a phrase many nonprofits are familiar with.
Gina Sian, head of Regions Bank’s Making Life Better Institute

How can nonprofits support employee growth and performance without breaking the budget?

To answer this question, Sian assembled a group of Regions Learning and Development pros to share cost-effective strategies for employee training and development. Jinny Walker, Barry Ward and Ressie Chambers led the discussion, which included 71 attendees from 45 organizations in 39 cities.

Walker opened the meeting with a word-cloud exercise that gave participants an opportunity to share their specific challenges when it comes to employee and volunteer learning and development. To no one’s surprise, the responses highlighted issues around time, cost, technology, staffing and expertise.

With those challenges in mind, the obvious first question is where to start. Walker advised the audience to start with the basics.

“Think about your goals. Your organization’s priorities really shape the learning and development needs of your employees and volunteers,” Walker said. “Next, you should think about how to build a sustainable learning culture.”

Her advice for developing that internal learning strategy included:

• Break learning into bite-sized chunks or micro learnings
• Leverage existing expertise within the organization
• Place a high value on learning
• Promote self-guided development
• Leverage a learning champion
• And last but not least – make it fun!

She then passed the mic over to Ward, who provided readily available resources to execute that learning strategy.

“A lot of companies and organizations offer some really great free and low-cost learning resources – some available at the public library or online, others may be workshops or training offered by local community foundations,” Ward said. “And the topics may range from capacity building and fundraising to marketing and financial management. The key is picking the resources that best align with the needs of your organization.”

The key is picking the resources that best align with the needs of your organization.
Barry Ward, Learning and Development professional at Regions

The next host, Ressie Chambers, wore two hats during the webinar, providing insight from two specialty areas. Along with serving as a Learning and Development professional at Regions, Chambers also is the executive director of a nonprofit in Memphis, Tenn.

She and her husband, Jimmy, established Camp Chambers more than a decade ago to provide educational and life skills for underserved youth. Theirs is a volunteer organization, with no paid staff, so Chambers has a great deal of experience with training and development for an unpaid workforce — as well as a board of directors — with diverse backgrounds, skills, ages and varied perceptions about roles and responsibilities.

Chambers shared some successful strategies that have worked for her in the past, especially when communicating the mission of the nonprofit:

• Storytelling and real-life examples resonate deeply
• Interactive training is often more effective because it puts ideas into action
• Mentorship and peer support are important for knowledge transfer and skill development

Chambers was honest about what has not worked as well, including one-size-fits-all training and programs that deliver “TMI” or too much information that overwhelms participants.

For this group of nonprofit leaders looking for tools and resources, Chambers had some specific, actionable advice. “Definitely start out with the resources that are no cost, there are tons of those out there,” she said.

“Encourage staff members and volunteers with certain skill sets to lead informal training sessions. People that are involved in nonprofits want to give back – they want things to do. Lunch and Learns are great forums. Also, network with other nonprofits to share best practices, and join the local chamber.”

People that are involved in nonprofits want to give back – they want things to do.
Ressie Chambers, Learning and Development professional at Regions

Based on the comments and ideas springing up on the chat during the webinar, the audience was extremely engaged. Inspiring attendees to reflect, learn, share, and identify at least one action they can take is the most important goal of this quarterly webinar series.

Joan Wright, executive director of Childcare Resources in Birmingham, has participated in past Insights webinars and found this one particularly relevant and helpful.

“The biggest takeaway for me was the variety of free resources that can support staff professional development across several areas and skills,” Wright said. “I appreciated the active chat conversations and sharing of resources from other participants.”

Wright added that the entire webinar series has been valuable to her and other members of her agency.

“I’ve learned new ways to approach our work, from data visualization to staff development. The format of free, convenient, virtual sessions combined with quality, professional guidance provide an accessible way to gain insights, connect with others and apply new information to our work. I look forward to the next session!”

Investing in knowledge-sharing and skill-building opportunities is a win not only for community partners, but also for Regions associates who volunteer their time and expertise.

Not all organizations have access to the resources we’re fortunate enough to have here at Regions, and I’m grateful we can lend our support in a way that helps others grow their impact.
Jinny Walker, Learning and Development professional at Regions

“It was incredibly meaningful to have the opportunity to influence nonprofits and volunteers who are working hard to strengthen their communities, often with limited staff and budget,” Walker said. “Not all organizations have access to the resources we’re fortunate enough to have here at Regions, and I’m grateful we can lend our support in a way that helps others grow their impact.”

“I’m a Regions-grown L&D partner, so being able to share what I’ve learned here with our community partners is such a rewarding way to pay it forward. I love giving back, especially in a way that aligns with what I love to do every day at work.”

The presentation shared during the webinar, along with a list of free learning resources, can be found here.

By Candace Higginbotham

Nonprofits across the country are facing a new set of challenges in the current economic environment.

Budget constraints are a longstanding issue for community organizations. But for many, those challenges have intensified with recent changes in government funding.

Gina Sian, head of Regions Bank’s Making Life Better Institute, recognizes the pressure this places on nonprofits and understands the hurdles leaders face.

For the past five years, the Regions Community Engagement team has been hosting the Important Insights for Community Organizations webinar series that leverages Regions’ inhouse knowledge and experience to provide assistance where it’s needed most, at no cost.

Staff development is one area that kept bubbling up as Sian engaged with nonprofits about their challenges.

“‘No money, no mission’ is a phrase many nonprofits are familiar with,” Sian said. “But an even more critical factor to their success is their team. Engaging people who care about your mission, have the necessary skills to implement your vision, and the willingness to grow with your organization is not an easy task, most especially when you have limited resources.”

‘No money, no mission’ is a phrase many nonprofits are familiar with.
Gina Sian, head of Regions Bank’s Making Life Better Institute

How can nonprofits support employee growth and performance without breaking the budget?

To answer this question, Sian assembled a group of Regions Learning and Development pros to share cost-effective strategies for employee training and development. Jinny Walker, Barry Ward and Ressie Chambers led the discussion, which included 71 attendees from 45 organizations in 39 cities.

Walker opened the meeting with a word-cloud exercise that gave participants an opportunity to share their specific challenges when it comes to employee and volunteer learning and development. To no one’s surprise, the responses highlighted issues around time, cost, technology, staffing and expertise.

With those challenges in mind, the obvious first question is where to start. Walker advised the audience to start with the basics.

“Think about your goals. Your organization’s priorities really shape the learning and development needs of your employees and volunteers,” Walker said. “Next, you should think about how to build a sustainable learning culture.”

Her advice for developing that internal learning strategy included:

• Break learning into bite-sized chunks or micro learnings
• Leverage existing expertise within the organization
• Place a high value on learning
• Promote self-guided development
• Leverage a learning champion
• And last but not least – make it fun!

She then passed the mic over to Ward, who provided readily available resources to execute that learning strategy.

“A lot of companies and organizations offer some really great free and low-cost learning resources – some available at the public library or online, others may be workshops or training offered by local community foundations,” Ward said. “And the topics may range from capacity building and fundraising to marketing and financial management. The key is picking the resources that best align with the needs of your organization.”

The key is picking the resources that best align with the needs of your organization.
Barry Ward, Learning and Development professional at Regions

The next host, Ressie Chambers, wore two hats during the webinar, providing insight from two specialty areas. Along with serving as a Learning and Development professional at Regions, Chambers also is the executive director of a nonprofit in Memphis, Tenn.

She and her husband, Jimmy, established Camp Chambers more than a decade ago to provide educational and life skills for underserved youth. Theirs is a volunteer organization, with no paid staff, so Chambers has a great deal of experience with training and development for an unpaid workforce — as well as a board of directors — with diverse backgrounds, skills, ages and varied perceptions about roles and responsibilities.

Chambers shared some successful strategies that have worked for her in the past, especially when communicating the mission of the nonprofit:

• Storytelling and real-life examples resonate deeply
• Interactive training is often more effective because it puts ideas into action
• Mentorship and peer support are important for knowledge transfer and skill development

Chambers was honest about what has not worked as well, including one-size-fits-all training and programs that deliver “TMI” or too much information that overwhelms participants.

For this group of nonprofit leaders looking for tools and resources, Chambers had some specific, actionable advice. “Definitely start out with the resources that are no cost, there are tons of those out there,” she said.

“Encourage staff members and volunteers with certain skill sets to lead informal training sessions. People that are involved in nonprofits want to give back – they want things to do. Lunch and Learns are great forums. Also, network with other nonprofits to share best practices, and join the local chamber.”

People that are involved in nonprofits want to give back – they want things to do.
Ressie Chambers, Learning and Development professional at Regions

Based on the comments and ideas springing up on the chat during the webinar, the audience was extremely engaged. Inspiring attendees to reflect, learn, share, and identify at least one action they can take is the most important goal of this quarterly webinar series.

Joan Wright, executive director of Childcare Resources in Birmingham, has participated in past Insights webinars and found this one particularly relevant and helpful.

“The biggest takeaway for me was the variety of free resources that can support staff professional development across several areas and skills,” Wright said. “I appreciated the active chat conversations and sharing of resources from other participants.”

Wright added that the entire webinar series has been valuable to her and other members of her agency.

“I’ve learned new ways to approach our work, from data visualization to staff development. The format of free, convenient, virtual sessions combined with quality, professional guidance provide an accessible way to gain insights, connect with others and apply new information to our work. I look forward to the next session!”

Investing in knowledge-sharing and skill-building opportunities is a win not only for community partners, but also for Regions associates who volunteer their time and expertise.

Not all organizations have access to the resources we’re fortunate enough to have here at Regions, and I’m grateful we can lend our support in a way that helps others grow their impact.
Jinny Walker, Learning and Development professional at Regions

“It was incredibly meaningful to have the opportunity to influence nonprofits and volunteers who are working hard to strengthen their communities, often with limited staff and budget,” Walker said. “Not all organizations have access to the resources we’re fortunate enough to have here at Regions, and I’m grateful we can lend our support in a way that helps others grow their impact.”

“I’m a Regions-grown L&D partner, so being able to share what I’ve learned here with our community partners is such a rewarding way to pay it forward. I love giving back, especially in a way that aligns with what I love to do every day at work.”

The presentation shared during the webinar, along with a list of free learning resources, can be found here.

Authored by Baker Tilly’s Nathan Olson

Growing stewardship through adaptive data governance 

For many organizations, data governance evokes a familiar image: rigid policies, centralized control and compliance-heavy processes that are hard to implement and even harder to maintain. Traditional approaches often collapse under their own weight — too prescriptive to be useful, too inflexible to keep pace with business needs.

But governance doesn’t have to be a bureaucratic burden. Like a well-tended garden, adaptive governance can be dynamic, responsive and tailored to its environment. When nurtured with care and intention, it can enable collaboration, foster stewardship and grow trust across the organization.

The problem with traditional governance 

At its worst, data governance becomes a blocker rather than an enabler. Well-meaning frameworks are either over-applied to every corner of the business or bypassed entirely when they don’t fit the needs. Teams work around governance when it’s perceived as overhead — something to “get through” rather than something that helps them do better work.

This disconnect creates a critical opportunity: to reimagine governance not as a one-size-fits-all program, but as something that grows and evolves with the needs of the organization.

What is cultivated data governance? 

Cultivated data governance is a living model — adaptive, incremental and grounded in the context of your business. It starts small and grows deliberately, focusing on impact over enforcement. Instead of imposing controls from the top down, cultivated governance focuses on enabling teams with the right level of support, clarity and care.

It’s a model that prizes flexibility and sustainability over rigid adherence. It invites stewards, not enforcers, and it meets data users where they are, aligning with how they work today and where they’re headed next.

Governance as gardening 

To communicate this model effectively, we apply a garden metaphor that bridges technical and non-technical perspectives:

• Soil: Your organizational culture and data readiness. Governance thrives in healthy environments with trust, literacy and shared accountability.
• Seeds: The foundational practices: business glossaries, ownership models, access policies. You plant what you want to grow.
• Watering: Stewardship and enablement. Governance grows when it’s nurtured with training, support and time.
• Pruning: Sunsetting stale policies and assets. Removing what no longer serves helps everything else thrive.
• Fertilizer: Tools, automation and process improvements that enrich and accelerate good governance.
• Gardeners: Your data stewards and team champions. The people closest to the data play a key role in shaping its use.
• Garden beds: Governance zones, tailored to different needs across the organization.

The four levels of cultivation 

Not all data needs the same level of oversight. By mapping different governance “zones” to natural environments, organizations can better apply the right level of care based on the use case:

• Wild meadow: A space for experimentation and exploration. Think data science, trend analysis and sandbox environments. Minimal governance by design, but clearly bounded.
• Community plot: Shared spaces with light guidance and collaboration. These might include team dashboards or semi-structured data used within a function.
• Tended bed: Trusted, curated assets maintained by governance teams or stewards. Examples include certified data products and enterprise dashboards.
• Walled garden: Highly sensitive or regulated data — PII, HIPAA-protected information or proprietary IP. These areas require strict access controls and clear auditability.

Instead of treating all data equally, cultivated governance adapts to the data’s risk profile, business value and intended use.

How to cultivate governance in practice 

Putting this model into action requires intention and patience. Like any garden, governance doesn’t grow overnight. It takes the right conditions, the right people and the willingness to start small:

• Start where there’s natural buy-in: Look for teams already invested in data quality or self-service analytics
• Pilot with a single domain: Prove value through targeted, high-impact efforts before scaling broadly
• Align with agile and product delivery models: Governance can slot into existing sprints, backlogs and rituals — no heavy lift required
• Emphasize recurring habits: Light, repeatable check-ins are more effective than one-time rollouts
• Invest in stewards and culture, not just tools: Software can support governance, but it’s your people who sustain it

Why it works 

Cultivated governance is more scalable, adaptable and human-centered than traditional models. It builds trust by aligning with how people actually work, and by focusing on value, not just control.

It also empowers data stewards to take ownership, reducing friction between business and IT. And because it evolves in step with your organization, it supports both innovation and compliance rather than forcing you to choose one or the other.

How we can help 

At Baker Tilly, we help organizations design and implement data governance programs that are fit for purpose — structured where necessary, flexible where possible and always grounded in business value.

Our experienced team can support you with:

• Governance strategy and design: Build a tailored governance model aligned to your data landscape, organizational culture and risk profile
• Stewardship enablement: Identify and empower data stewards with the tools, training and support they need to succeed
• Governance in agile and product environments: Integrate governance seamlessly into data product development and agile delivery cycles
• Tool selection and implementation: Evaluate and implement the right technology (e.g., data catalogs, lineage, access control) to support scalable governance
• Change management and adoption: Drive adoption through education, communication and ongoing engagement – because governance is only effective when it’s used

Whether you’re just getting started or looking to evolve an existing program, we will meet you where you are and help you grow from there.

Connect with a Baker Tilly specialist to learn more

Authored by Baker Tilly’s Nathan Olson

Growing stewardship through adaptive data governance 

For many organizations, data governance evokes a familiar image: rigid policies, centralized control and compliance-heavy processes that are hard to implement and even harder to maintain. Traditional approaches often collapse under their own weight — too prescriptive to be useful, too inflexible to keep pace with business needs.

But governance doesn’t have to be a bureaucratic burden. Like a well-tended garden, adaptive governance can be dynamic, responsive and tailored to its environment. When nurtured with care and intention, it can enable collaboration, foster stewardship and grow trust across the organization.

The problem with traditional governance 

At its worst, data governance becomes a blocker rather than an enabler. Well-meaning frameworks are either over-applied to every corner of the business or bypassed entirely when they don’t fit the needs. Teams work around governance when it’s perceived as overhead — something to “get through” rather than something that helps them do better work.

This disconnect creates a critical opportunity: to reimagine governance not as a one-size-fits-all program, but as something that grows and evolves with the needs of the organization.

What is cultivated data governance? 

Cultivated data governance is a living model — adaptive, incremental and grounded in the context of your business. It starts small and grows deliberately, focusing on impact over enforcement. Instead of imposing controls from the top down, cultivated governance focuses on enabling teams with the right level of support, clarity and care.

It’s a model that prizes flexibility and sustainability over rigid adherence. It invites stewards, not enforcers, and it meets data users where they are, aligning with how they work today and where they’re headed next.

Governance as gardening 

To communicate this model effectively, we apply a garden metaphor that bridges technical and non-technical perspectives:

• Soil: Your organizational culture and data readiness. Governance thrives in healthy environments with trust, literacy and shared accountability.
• Seeds: The foundational practices: business glossaries, ownership models, access policies. You plant what you want to grow.
• Watering: Stewardship and enablement. Governance grows when it’s nurtured with training, support and time.
• Pruning: Sunsetting stale policies and assets. Removing what no longer serves helps everything else thrive.
• Fertilizer: Tools, automation and process improvements that enrich and accelerate good governance.
• Gardeners: Your data stewards and team champions. The people closest to the data play a key role in shaping its use.
• Garden beds: Governance zones, tailored to different needs across the organization.

The four levels of cultivation 

Not all data needs the same level of oversight. By mapping different governance “zones” to natural environments, organizations can better apply the right level of care based on the use case:

• Wild meadow: A space for experimentation and exploration. Think data science, trend analysis and sandbox environments. Minimal governance by design, but clearly bounded.
• Community plot: Shared spaces with light guidance and collaboration. These might include team dashboards or semi-structured data used within a function.
• Tended bed: Trusted, curated assets maintained by governance teams or stewards. Examples include certified data products and enterprise dashboards.
• Walled garden: Highly sensitive or regulated data — PII, HIPAA-protected information or proprietary IP. These areas require strict access controls and clear auditability.

Instead of treating all data equally, cultivated governance adapts to the data’s risk profile, business value and intended use.

How to cultivate governance in practice 

Putting this model into action requires intention and patience. Like any garden, governance doesn’t grow overnight. It takes the right conditions, the right people and the willingness to start small:

• Start where there’s natural buy-in: Look for teams already invested in data quality or self-service analytics
• Pilot with a single domain: Prove value through targeted, high-impact efforts before scaling broadly
• Align with agile and product delivery models: Governance can slot into existing sprints, backlogs and rituals — no heavy lift required
• Emphasize recurring habits: Light, repeatable check-ins are more effective than one-time rollouts
• Invest in stewards and culture, not just tools: Software can support governance, but it’s your people who sustain it

Why it works 

Cultivated governance is more scalable, adaptable and human-centered than traditional models. It builds trust by aligning with how people actually work, and by focusing on value, not just control.

It also empowers data stewards to take ownership, reducing friction between business and IT. And because it evolves in step with your organization, it supports both innovation and compliance rather than forcing you to choose one or the other.

How we can help 

At Baker Tilly, we help organizations design and implement data governance programs that are fit for purpose — structured where necessary, flexible where possible and always grounded in business value.

Our experienced team can support you with:

• Governance strategy and design: Build a tailored governance model aligned to your data landscape, organizational culture and risk profile
• Stewardship enablement: Identify and empower data stewards with the tools, training and support they need to succeed
• Governance in agile and product environments: Integrate governance seamlessly into data product development and agile delivery cycles
• Tool selection and implementation: Evaluate and implement the right technology (e.g., data catalogs, lineage, access control) to support scalable governance
• Change management and adoption: Drive adoption through education, communication and ongoing engagement – because governance is only effective when it’s used

Whether you’re just getting started or looking to evolve an existing program, we will meet you where you are and help you grow from there.

Connect with a Baker Tilly specialist to learn more

Originally published on U.S Bank company blog

U.S. Bank has launched a new online education platform called U.S. Bank Business Resource Central that provides educational courses and other tools to help small business owners run and grow their businesses. The platform, which is free, is designed to help U.S. Bank clients and non-clients, as well as small businesses that are suppliers to the bank.

The new resource hub aligns with a commitment at U.S. Bank to support small businesses, which are a driving force in the economy and a vital source of employment. As part of this effort, U.S. Bank offers business access advisors in more than a dozen markets around the country, helping small business owners get access to expertise, connections, and funding resources to fuel the growth of their businesses. The bank also has procurement specialists who help small businesses that may want to become vendors to the bank.

“Small businesses are vital to the U.S. economy,” said Shruti Patel, chief product officer for business banking at U.S. Bank. “We aim to support them with access to capital and financial education. Our new private learning platform offers essential resources, and our team will work closely with business owners for any follow-up assistance.”

The hub was created in collaboration with Next Street, a firm that provides training and other solutions for small businesses. Small businesses can create free accounts to access courses on topics such as “business continuity planning” and “how to prepare to seek financing.” There are also links to U.S. Bank resources such as product pages and Financial IQ articles.

“Small business suppliers often struggle with access to the right networks and getting good advice to help them succeed,” said Craig McKenney, chief procurement officer at U.S. Bank. “Now our business access advisors and procurement specialists can direct those small business suppliers to a private learning platform, which has resources to help them.”

In working with Next Street, U.S. Bank is collaborating with an organization that provides end-to-end solutions — from ecosystem assessments and strategies to resource platforms and accelerators — that propel small businesses in their communities and supply chains.

“Next Street is dedicated to helping every small business realize its potential,” said Next Street CEO Charisse Conanan Johnson. “Small businesses make critical contributions, from spurring innovation to creating jobs, within local communities and supply chains. In doing so, small businesses propel new economic growth across the nation. Next Street is proud to partner with U.S. Bank on a new resource hub to ensure small businesses have access to the experts, networks, and capital they need to reach their dreams.”

To learn more about the platform, visit usbank.nextstreet.com

About U.S. Bank

U.S. Bancorp, with approximately 70,000 employees and $686 billion in assets as of June 30, 2025, is the parent company of U.S. Bank National Association. Headquartered in Minneapolis, the company serves millions of customers locally, nationally and globally through a diversified mix of businesses including consumer banking, business banking, commercial banking, institutional banking, payments and wealth management. U.S. Bancorp has been recognized for its approach to digital innovation, community partnerships and customer service, including being named one of the 2025 World’s Most Ethical Companies and one of Fortune’s most admired superregional banks. Learn more at usbank.com/about.

About Next Street
For more than 20 years, corporations, governments, and philanthropies have hired Next Street to strengthen the small businesses they rely on. As a firm, Next Street provides end-to-end solutions — from ecosystem assessments and strategies to resource platforms and accelerators — for their clients to propel the small businesses in their communities and supply chains. Next Street solutions ultimately help small businesses, whether they are solo entrepreneurs or advanced suppliers, to unlock new revenue, build wealth, and reinvest in their communities.

Rick Rothacker, U.S. Bank Public Affairs and Communications

Richard.rothacker@usbank.com

Katie Beach, Next Street

kbeach@nextstreet.com

 

Originally published on U.S Bank company blog

U.S. Bank has launched a new online education platform called U.S. Bank Business Resource Central that provides educational courses and other tools to help small business owners run and grow their businesses. The platform, which is free, is designed to help U.S. Bank clients and non-clients, as well as small businesses that are suppliers to the bank.

The new resource hub aligns with a commitment at U.S. Bank to support small businesses, which are a driving force in the economy and a vital source of employment. As part of this effort, U.S. Bank offers business access advisors in more than a dozen markets around the country, helping small business owners get access to expertise, connections, and funding resources to fuel the growth of their businesses. The bank also has procurement specialists who help small businesses that may want to become vendors to the bank.

“Small businesses are vital to the U.S. economy,” said Shruti Patel, chief product officer for business banking at U.S. Bank. “We aim to support them with access to capital and financial education. Our new private learning platform offers essential resources, and our team will work closely with business owners for any follow-up assistance.”

The hub was created in collaboration with Next Street, a firm that provides training and other solutions for small businesses. Small businesses can create free accounts to access courses on topics such as “business continuity planning” and “how to prepare to seek financing.” There are also links to U.S. Bank resources such as product pages and Financial IQ articles.

“Small business suppliers often struggle with access to the right networks and getting good advice to help them succeed,” said Craig McKenney, chief procurement officer at U.S. Bank. “Now our business access advisors and procurement specialists can direct those small business suppliers to a private learning platform, which has resources to help them.”

In working with Next Street, U.S. Bank is collaborating with an organization that provides end-to-end solutions — from ecosystem assessments and strategies to resource platforms and accelerators — that propel small businesses in their communities and supply chains.

“Next Street is dedicated to helping every small business realize its potential,” said Next Street CEO Charisse Conanan Johnson. “Small businesses make critical contributions, from spurring innovation to creating jobs, within local communities and supply chains. In doing so, small businesses propel new economic growth across the nation. Next Street is proud to partner with U.S. Bank on a new resource hub to ensure small businesses have access to the experts, networks, and capital they need to reach their dreams.”

To learn more about the platform, visit usbank.nextstreet.com

About U.S. Bank

U.S. Bancorp, with approximately 70,000 employees and $686 billion in assets as of June 30, 2025, is the parent company of U.S. Bank National Association. Headquartered in Minneapolis, the company serves millions of customers locally, nationally and globally through a diversified mix of businesses including consumer banking, business banking, commercial banking, institutional banking, payments and wealth management. U.S. Bancorp has been recognized for its approach to digital innovation, community partnerships and customer service, including being named one of the 2025 World’s Most Ethical Companies and one of Fortune’s most admired superregional banks. Learn more at usbank.com/about.

About Next Street
For more than 20 years, corporations, governments, and philanthropies have hired Next Street to strengthen the small businesses they rely on. As a firm, Next Street provides end-to-end solutions — from ecosystem assessments and strategies to resource platforms and accelerators — for their clients to propel the small businesses in their communities and supply chains. Next Street solutions ultimately help small businesses, whether they are solo entrepreneurs or advanced suppliers, to unlock new revenue, build wealth, and reinvest in their communities.

Rick Rothacker, U.S. Bank Public Affairs and Communications

Richard.rothacker@usbank.com

Katie Beach, Next Street

kbeach@nextstreet.com

 

Strengthening Global Leadership in Sustainability 

Marking one year of impactful collaboration, DP World’s partnership with Teach For All has produced remarkable results globally, particularly in Argentina, by empowering educators, engaging students, and preparing the next generation for the evolving workforce.

At the global level, DP World and Teach For All have significantly advanced educational leadership and sustainability. DP World’s Global Education Platform, central to this collaboration, has connected thousands of teachers worldwide to resources and practical training focused on sustainability, STEM education, and career readiness. Through interactive global workshops and educational sessions, educators from Argentina, Pakistan, Senegal, and South Africa have enhanced their teaching practices, better equipping students to thrive in a green economy.

Focused Impact in Argentina

In Argentina, DP World’s investment has notably amplified the capabilities of Enseñá por Argentina. Over the past year, the partnership directly supported 87 first- and second-year teaching fellows in Buenos Aires, impacting over 6,000 students. Critical to this success was the translation of DP World’s educational portal into Spanish, providing educators with accessible resources that align closely with local educational needs.

A standout example of DP World’s community-focused approach was the active engagement at Polo Educativo Mugica – one of Buenos Aires’ largest educational hubs. Volunteers from DP World’s nearby port terminal hosted dynamic workshops, focusing on sustainability themes such as climate change and recycling. More than 80 high school students participated in these activities, gaining practical insights into logistics operations, waste management, and career possibilities, inspiring students to envision themselves in new and promising professional roles.

Adapting and Expanding the Impact

Despite economic challenges in Argentina, DP World and Enseñá por Argentina effectively maximized resources. When local government funding was secured for teaching fellowships, DP World’s contribution was strategically redirected towards enhanced training opportunities, national educator seminars, and essential classroom materials, further amplifying educational outcomes.

A Global Reach: Pakistan, Senegal, and South Africa

DP World’s support extends beyond Argentina, demonstrating significant results in other Teach For All partner countries:

• Pakistan: DP World’s partnership enabled Teach For Pakistan to expand significantly by launching a new Karachi chapter and training over 100 new teaching fellows.
• Senegal: Teach For Senegal used DP World’s support for digital empowerment and career readiness programs, greatly enhancing educators’ skills and classroom effectiveness. As a result, confidence in integrating technology into the classroom rose by 45%.
• South Africa: Teach The Nation successfully integrated sustainability education into core subjects, impacting thousands of students in underserved communities and significantly increasing teachers’ confidence in delivering sustainability-focused lessons – 80% of teaching fellows are now likely to incorporate sustainability into their curriculum.

Building on Success

Looking ahead, Teach For All and DP World will continue to leverage DP World’s educational resources, deepen community engagement, and amplify sustainability initiatives across schools. As we celebrate this impactful first year, especially in Argentina and across the Americas region, this milestone is more than an anniversary – it’s a foundation for future successes. Together, DP World and Teach For All will continue empowering educators and preparing students to lead and innovate in a more sustainable, inclusive global workforce.

Strengthening Global Leadership in Sustainability 

Marking one year of impactful collaboration, DP World’s partnership with Teach For All has produced remarkable results globally, particularly in Argentina, by empowering educators, engaging students, and preparing the next generation for the evolving workforce.

At the global level, DP World and Teach For All have significantly advanced educational leadership and sustainability. DP World’s Global Education Platform, central to this collaboration, has connected thousands of teachers worldwide to resources and practical training focused on sustainability, STEM education, and career readiness. Through interactive global workshops and educational sessions, educators from Argentina, Pakistan, Senegal, and South Africa have enhanced their teaching practices, better equipping students to thrive in a green economy.

Focused Impact in Argentina

In Argentina, DP World’s investment has notably amplified the capabilities of Enseñá por Argentina. Over the past year, the partnership directly supported 87 first- and second-year teaching fellows in Buenos Aires, impacting over 6,000 students. Critical to this success was the translation of DP World’s educational portal into Spanish, providing educators with accessible resources that align closely with local educational needs.

A standout example of DP World’s community-focused approach was the active engagement at Polo Educativo Mugica – one of Buenos Aires’ largest educational hubs. Volunteers from DP World’s nearby port terminal hosted dynamic workshops, focusing on sustainability themes such as climate change and recycling. More than 80 high school students participated in these activities, gaining practical insights into logistics operations, waste management, and career possibilities, inspiring students to envision themselves in new and promising professional roles.

Adapting and Expanding the Impact

Despite economic challenges in Argentina, DP World and Enseñá por Argentina effectively maximized resources. When local government funding was secured for teaching fellowships, DP World’s contribution was strategically redirected towards enhanced training opportunities, national educator seminars, and essential classroom materials, further amplifying educational outcomes.

A Global Reach: Pakistan, Senegal, and South Africa

DP World’s support extends beyond Argentina, demonstrating significant results in other Teach For All partner countries:

• Pakistan: DP World’s partnership enabled Teach For Pakistan to expand significantly by launching a new Karachi chapter and training over 100 new teaching fellows.
• Senegal: Teach For Senegal used DP World’s support for digital empowerment and career readiness programs, greatly enhancing educators’ skills and classroom effectiveness. As a result, confidence in integrating technology into the classroom rose by 45%.
• South Africa: Teach The Nation successfully integrated sustainability education into core subjects, impacting thousands of students in underserved communities and significantly increasing teachers’ confidence in delivering sustainability-focused lessons – 80% of teaching fellows are now likely to incorporate sustainability into their curriculum.

Building on Success

Looking ahead, Teach For All and DP World will continue to leverage DP World’s educational resources, deepen community engagement, and amplify sustainability initiatives across schools. As we celebrate this impactful first year, especially in Argentina and across the Americas region, this milestone is more than an anniversary – it’s a foundation for future successes. Together, DP World and Teach For All will continue empowering educators and preparing students to lead and innovate in a more sustainable, inclusive global workforce.

Originally published on 3M News Center

As the world pivots towards electrification, the demand for lithium-ion batteries is set to skyrocket. According to McKinsey, battery demand is expected to increase nearly sevenfold, from approximately 700 GWh in 2022 to about 4,700 GWh by 2030. This surge is driven by the growing adoption of electric vehicles (EVs), utility-scale grid storage, and portable electronics. However, the supply of raw lithium is struggling to keep pace, and production is expected to fall short of projected annual demand of 3 million tons by 2030. This looming supply gap presents a critical opportunity for innovation in lithium extraction.

Lithium is a key component in the global energy transition, boasting the highest energy density for a solid material, and making it the optimal choice for batteries. Since the introduction of the lithium-ion battery in 1991, its use has expanded exponentially, doubling every two to three years. However, the success of lithium-ion technology brings challenges in supplying enough raw materials to meet demand.

Lithium is mined worldwide from hard rock deposits and from underground brines. The highest concentration sources are being mined first, but many new reserves, such as the Smackover Formation in Arkansas or the Salton Sea in California, are low-concentration brines or geothermal fluids. As a result, the industry is turning to innovative methods to extract lithium from these non-traditional sources.

Direct Lithium Extraction (DLE) is emerging as a viable solution to the challenges of lithium supply. DLE includes a family of techniques that chemically separate lithium ions from brines using sorbents, ion exchange, membranes, or electrochemical cells. According to ID TechEx, DLE can deliver higher recovery rates, faster cycle times, and lower environmental impact than conventional evaporation ponds. This makes DLE a necessary approach to unlock new lithium resources and reduce the impact of predicted global supply constraints.

3M technologies are uniquely positioned to advance the commercialization of DLE through our expertise and scale in manufacturing similar materials, including precision-engineered abrasive particles and advanced nonwoven materials.

“With current market conditions, now is the ideal time for collaboration,” said Mark Copman, senior vice president, 3M New Growth Ventures. “3M has a long history of applying advanced materials science to solve critical challenges and our innovative technologies are perfectly suited to meet the specific needs of the lithium market while helping to secure a reliable supply of this critical resource.”

• Sorbent Expertise: 3M’s particle-shaping capabilities are directly translatable to creating high-performance DLE sorbents. These sorbents are engineered for optimal brine-flow, durability, and selectivity, allowing for efficient lithium extraction alone or in conjunction with non-wovens.
• Next-Gen Nonwovens: 3M designs sorbent-laden nonwoven fabrics that mimic high-surface-area membranes in compact formats. These fabrics offer enhanced brine contact, faster kinetics, and reduced chemical usage, making them ideal for DLE applications.
• Scalable Manufacturing: 3M’s global manufacturing prowess allows rapid throughput from R&D to pilot and then to full-scale deployment. This scalability is crucial for establishing a robust DLE supply chain in the U.S.

3M is dedicated to enhancing energy security and delivering efficient solutions that meet the growing demands of the global energy landscape. Our technologies and solutions can help to efficiently bridge short-term lithium supply needs and help to open long-term local sources of supply, supporting battery production that’s essential for the future needs of electric vehicle expansion and grid-energy storage.