Tag: 3BL

The automotive industry has long built its supply chains around precision: the right components arriving at the right plant, in the right sequence, at exactly the right time.

But as manufacturers contend with shifting demand, trade uncertainty, supplier pressures, and increasingly complex production networks, that model is being tested. Today, efficiency alone is no longer enough. Automotive supply chains also need the flexibility to respond when conditions change.

In the recent webinar, “From Volume to Resilience: How Automotive Supply Chains Are Adapting to a New Market Reality,” DP World’s Yasir Kaskorkis, Global Director of EV Batteries, and David Szydlowski, Global Director of Automotive Freight Forwarding, explore how OEMs and suppliers are responding – and why resilience is increasingly becoming a core part of automotive supply chain strategy.

WATCH THE WEBINAR ON DEMAND

Rethinking the Automotive Supply Chain

For automotive manufacturers, even a relatively small disruption can have consequences far beyond a delayed shipment. When thousands of components must come together on tightly orchestrated production schedules, an interruption upstream can quickly affect plant operations, inventory, costs, and ultimately vehicle availability.

That challenge is becoming even more complex as the industry evolves. The growth of EVs has introduced new considerations around battery logistics and supply chains, while automotive manufacturers continue to navigate global freight networks and cross-border flows connecting suppliers and production facilities.

Drawing on their experience across EV battery supply chains and automotive freight forwarding, Kaskorkis and Szydlowski discuss how companies can build greater flexibility into their operations by connecting logistics, inventory planning and production requirements more closely.

That includes understanding where critical dependencies exist, positioning inventory strategically, and creating options that allow supply chains to respond when circumstances change.

From Efficiency to Optionality

The goal isn’t to abandon efficiency. It’s to build supply chains that can maintain it while becoming better prepared for disruption.

For automotive leaders, that means asking different questions:

• Where could a supplier or transportation constraint affect production?
• Where should inventory be positioned to protect plant uptime?
• How quickly can freight be rerouted when conditions change?
• Do logistics, procurement, and manufacturing teams have the information they need to make those decisions together?

An integrated approach can help connect those decisions across the supply chain – from origin and freight forwarding to warehousing, cross-border transportation, and final delivery. As automotive supply chains adapt to a changing market, the companies best positioned to compete will be those that can combine efficiency with flexibility.

Watch “From Volume to Resilience: How Automotive Supply Chains Are Adapting to a New Market Reality” on demand to hear Yasir Kaskorkis and David Szydlowski share their perspectives on the forces reshaping automotive logistics and how supply chains can prepare for what comes next.

WATCH THE WEBINAR ON DEMAND

• A space located in Uniube’s Agro City allows the use of state of the art machines in the practical and dynamic training of future agribusiness professionals

New Holland and Nova Holanda inaugurated the New Holland Training Center on Tuesday, August 11, at Agro City, the new teaching and innovation complex of the University of Agriculture | Uniube in Uberaba, Minas Gerais. The partnership is expected to benefit approximately 8,000 students.

With this initiative, New Holland reinforces its commitment to training qualified agribusiness professionals by bringing students, researchers, and the productive sector closer together through a structure focused on practical learning and access to the most advanced agricultural technologies.

With an investment of R$ 2.8 million, New Holland equipped the Training Center with machines and solutions that are now integrated into the activities of Agro City’s teaching farm.

The inauguration of the Training Center, the first of its kind in Minas Gerais, is part of the official opening of Agro City, a project developed by the University of Agriculture | Uniube to bring together education, research, innovation, and the marketplace. Within this ecosystem, New Holland will provide a learning environment connected to the reality of farming, allowing students to gain direct experience with technologies used by agricultural producers in their daily operations.

“In a scenario of constant technological evolution, preparing professionals capable of using smart machines, connectivity, automation, and precision agriculture is essential to boosting productivity and promoting increasingly efficient and sustainable agriculture. This New Holland Training Center was created to connect knowledge and practice in support of an ever more sustainable agricultural future,” said Eduardo Kerbauy, Vice President of Marketing for New Holland Latin America.

Read more here.

Daniel Pellegrom
Director, Corporate Social Responsibility

Why it matters

• Hands-on AI experience makes technology careers tangible.
• Early STEM access expands future career pathways.
• Industry partnerships connect learning with real-world applications.

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Artificial intelligence (AI) is transforming how we solve problems, make decisions, and address some of the world’s most complex challenges. Advancing AI responsibly requires more than technology alone. It requires curious, skilled innovators who can build, question and improve the systems shaping the future.

This is why Leidos partnered with North Carolina Central University’s (NCCU) Institute for Artificial Intelligence and Emerging Research (IAIER) and Amazon Web Services (AWS) to give the next generation of innovators firsthand experience building with AI.

Real world examples make AI careers tangible

From July 15-17, twenty rising high school juniors and seniors from North Carolina, Pennsylvania, and Colorado participated in an immersive AI Career Immersion summer camp on NCCU’s campus in Durham, North Carolina. The three-day program introduced students to generative AI, computer vision, and reinforcement learning through a combination of classroom instruction, hands-on projects, and conversations with technology professionals.

The goal was simple: help students see themselves not only as users of AI, but as the people who will create, improve, and responsibly advance it.

The program was developed under the leadership of Corey Hendricks, Leidos vice president of Solution Architecture and an NCCU alumnus. Working alongside NCCU faculty and AWS technical leaders, Hendricks helped create an experience that connected emerging technology concepts with real-world applications.

Our goal was for students to see that they can build the technologies shaping our future—and that companies like Leidos are eager to help them get there. Being able to work with my alma mater to help introduce these students to the possibilities of AI made this experience especially fun.

Corey Hendricks
VP, Solution Architecture, Leidos

Learning AI by building AI

Throughout the camp, students moved beyond theory and applied AI concepts through hands-on projects. They built generative AI applications using AWS PartyRock, trained autonomous racing models with AWS DeepRacer and explored how technologies such as computer vision and reinforcement learning are being used to solve complex challenges.

The experience culminated in a DeepRacer competition where students optimized their models, evaluated performance and explained their design decisions, reinforcing the importance of experimentation, critical thinking and responsible AI development.

Connecting students with real-world innovation

The camp brought together the strengths of industry and academia to give students a real-world perspective of how AI is developed and applied. NCCU faculty introduced students to the foundations of artificial intelligence and machine learning, while AWS and Leidos experts provided hands-on instruction and connected emerging technologies to real-world applications in areas such as trusted AI, cybersecurity and computer vision.

Preparing tomorrow’s workforce requires more than teaching students about artificial intelligence. It requires giving them opportunities to see themselves as creators, problem-solvers and future leaders in the field. Through partnerships with Leidos and AWS, we connected foundational learning with hands-on application, career exposure and mentorship. These experiences help students recognize that they have a place in the future of AI and can play an active role in shaping it.

Dr. Siobahn Day Grady
Founding Director of the Institute for AI and Emerging Research (IAIER)

AWS solutions architect Caleb Anthony designed the camp’s hands-on technical curriculum, developed the student instructional materials, built the cloud learning environment and led students through interactive experiences using AWS PartyRock and AWS DeepRacer.

Leidos volunteers connected classroom lessons to real-world applications and shared their career journeys, helping students understand the many pathways available in technology.

Through support from Durham Public Schools, students from the local community gained access to an immersive introduction to AI and the opportunities available in this rapidly evolving field.

Investing in the future of technology

By the end of the program, every student had built multiple AI applications, trained a custom reinforcement learning model and presented their work to peers. Each participant earned a certificate of completion and received resources to continue exploring AI beyond the camp.

The experience reflects Leidos’ commitment to expanding access to STEM education, strengthening communities and preparing the next generation of technology leaders. As part of the company’s participation in the White House’s Pledge to America’s Youth, Leidos is helping create meaningful opportunities for students to explore careers in emerging fields such as artificial intelligence.

For Leidos, the camp represents more than a successful summer program, it shows how investing in partnerships with universities, business partners and local communities can build a resilient, diverse workforce prepared to address the future’s complex challenges.

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Three things to remember

1. Twenty rising high school juniors and seniors built generative AI applications and trained reinforcement learning models during a three-day immersive experience.
2. Leidos, North Carolina Central University, and Amazon Web Services combined academic instruction, technical expertise, and real-world applications to bring AI careers to life.
3. Early access to emerging technology can expand career pathways and help build the skilled, diverse workforce needed to advance AI responsibly.

We’re hiring innovators

LONDON, August 20, 2026 /3BL/ – Enhanced capability strengthens SLR’s established expertise with WAP Sustainability’s specialist knowledge in life cycle assessment and product environmental performance.

SLR has enhanced its global Product Sustainability offering, spanning life cycle assessment (LCA), environmental product declarations (EPD), product carbon footprints (PCF), circularity, Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR), regulatory readiness and digital product passport (DPP) data solutions.

The enhanced offering responds to growing demand from organisations facing a wave of new product sustainability requirements across global markets. In Europe, new regulations such as the EU’s Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulation (PPWR), revised Construction Products Regulation (CPR) the Ecodesign for Sustainable Products Regulation (ESPR) are accelerating this shift. Globally, similar pressures are emerging through the adoption of state and federal EPR programs impacting nearly all consumer-facing industries.

Beyond regulatory compliance, increasing numbers of sustainable procurements programmes and consumer led demand for product carbon footprints and supply chain transparency continue to grow across global markets, intensifying commercial pressures on manufacturers to consider the environmental performance of products.

SLR has long supported clients with product sustainability services across sectors including manufacturing, built environment, chemicals, pharmaceuticals, mining, consumer products and energy. The addition of WAP Sustainability further strengthens this capability with additional specialist expertise in LCA, chemical regulations, product environmental performance, circularity and product/supply chain data management.

Together, SLR and WAP Sustainability help organisations to manage product-level data and put it to work: meeting compliance and disclosure requirements, responding to customer expectations, and informing better decisions about product design, sourcing and performance. With strategic advisory, technical consulting and digital solutions, SLR supports clients from initial assessment through to disclosure, compliance reporting, verification and large-scale deployment.

“Product sustainability is rapidly becoming a strategic business requirement rather than a specialist sustainability initiative. It is fundamental to addressing some of the biggest sustainability issues companies face and requires a better understanding and more informed choices at the product level in terms of material selection, manufacturing process and end of life options, among other considerations,” said William Paddock, Managing Director of WAP Sustainability (part of SLR).

“Many organisations are trying to make sense of a growing number of regulations, requests from customers and disclosure obligations. What we see is that much of this ultimately relies on the same product-level data. Our role is to help clients build that foundation once and use it to support compliance, inform business decisions and create long-term value.”

The expanded capability combines deep technical expertise with digital platforms, such as Theta LCA, epd.world, dpp.world and the openEPD database, designed to help organisations manage product sustainability information at scale. SLR has delivered and maintained over one hundred thousand LCAs and related disclosures (EPDs, PCFs, PEPs, PEFs, etc) across global markets, working with clients in almost every industry through one of the largest global teams of dedicated specialists. SLR’s Product Sustainability platform was designed to be a first of its kind global advisory and technology platform to help organisations manage the regulatory and voluntary complexities using a single partner organisation.

“The sustainability market was missing a truly global platform for product sustainability”, added Paddock, “there are too many fragmented regional solutions inhibiting corporate leadership’s ability to make product sustainability decisions strategically. This is what we have solved”.

-ENDS-

For more information, visit slrconsulting.com

Newark, N.J., August 20, 2026 /3BL/ — Public Service Enterprise Group (PSEG) recently released the company’s 2025 Community Impact Update, highlighting how our business supports New Jersey’s communities, economy and energy infrastructure while reinforcing our longstanding focus on public service. PSEG, founded over 120 years ago, is the parent company of PSE&G, New Jersey’s largest utility, which serves over 2.4 million electric customers and 1.9 million gas customers statewide, and the operator of the state’s only nuclear power plants, delivering over 80% of the state’s carbon-free energy. We are one of New Jersey’s largest employers, and the majority of our approximately 13,000 employees live and work in the communities we serve.

“Public service is not just our name, it’s our purpose, it guides our work and enhances our value to New Jersey,” said Rick Thigpen, PSEG’s Senior Vice President of Corporate Citizenship. “The 2025 Community Impact Update demonstrates how this business and its employees, promote prosperity and strengthen communities across the state while supporting a more reliable energy future.”

PSEG’s 2025 Community Impact Update details how PSEG’s operations span the state and support New Jersey’s economy, including:

• An estimated $16.3 billion in total economic output to New Jersey¹.
• A regulated capital investment program which will invest $22.5 billion to $25.5 billion into our critical infrastructure through 2030 and bolster reliability.
• Our $2.4 billion spend with New Jersey-based suppliers and vendors in 2025.
• About $12.8 million in total philanthropic giving in 2025
• The significant amount of taxes PSEG pays to the state annually, including $37 million in property taxes alone in 2025.

The Community Impact Update also highlights the impact of our nuclear plants, which provide over 40% of the state’s electricity and make important contributions to the Salem County region, and play a large role in the and New Jersey economy. The plants are responsible for about $1.2 billion in annual state GDP.

Additionally, the document shares how PSEG’s award-winning energy efficiency programs have helped customers save more than $1 billion annually.

View the full 2025 Community Impact Update here.

PSEG to Launch Sustainability Report to Further Explore Community and Operational Impact

While the Impact document focuses on PSEG’s statewide economic and community footprint, the forthcoming 2026 Sustainability Report will provide a comprehensive view of the company’s industry leading sustainability program, highlighting PSEG’s work to strengthen the communities we serve, operate responsibly and support a more reliable energy future.

The Sustainability Report, which will launch in the coming weeks, will explore areas such as workforce development, support for our communities, environmental stewardship, customer affordability and support, and the role of our nuclear plants. It will also offer new insights, feature stories about employees and initiatives and provide detailed data on PSEG’s work.

Examples of data found in the 2026 Sustainability Report:

• Our overall sustainability efforts, including the achievement of a 95% reduction in operational emissions from the 2005 baseline
• Our waste management practices, including that in 2025, more than 91 percent of all waste generated by the utility was recycled
• A look at the impact our $1.5 million December 2025 Community Relief initiative had on the nonprofit partners who received funding

Together, the 2025 Impact document and the upcoming Sustainability Report provide a broader view of how PSEG cares for customers, communities, employees and the state of New Jersey while helping build a more reliable and sustainable energy future.
 

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About PSEG

Public Service Enterprise Group (PSEG) (NYSE: PEG) is a predominantly regulated infrastructure company operating New Jersey’s largest transmission and distribution utility, serving approximately 2.4 million electric and 1.9 million natural gas customers. PSEG also owns an independent fleet of 3,758 MW of carbon-free, baseload nuclear power generating units in NJ and PA. PSEG aims to power a future where people use energy more efficiently, and it’s safer and delivered more reliably than ever. PSEG is a member of the S&P 500 Index and has been named to the Dow Jones Best in Class North America Index for 18 consecutive years. PSEG’s businesses include Public Service Electric and Gas Co. (PSE&G), PSEG Power and PSEG Long Island (https://corporate.pseg.com).

¹ Source: IMPLAN 2024 Data Year for New Jersey model region. For more information on the IMPLAN modeling process, visit IMPLAN.com

IMPLAN is a regional economic analysis software application that is designed to estimate the impact or ripple effect (specifically backward linkages) of a given economic activity within aspecific geographic area through the implementation of its Input-Output and Social Accounting Matrix model. Studies, results, and reports that rely on IMPLAN data or applications are limited by the researcher’s assumptions concerning the subject or event being modeled. Studies such as this one are in no way endorsed or verified by IMPLAN Group LLC unless otherwise stated by a representative of IMPLAN.

IMPLAN provides the estimated Indirect and Induced Effects of the given economic activity as defined by the user’s inputs. Some Direct Effects may be estimated by IMPLAN when such information is not specified by the user. While IMPLAN is an excellent tool for its designed purposes, it is the responsibility of analysts using IMPLAN to be sure inputs are defined appropriately and to be aware of the following assumptions within any I-O and Social Accounting

Matrix Model:

• Constant returns to scale
• No supply constraints
• Fixed input structure
• Industry technology assumption
• Constant byproducts coefficients
• The model is static
• Backward linked
• Time Delineated

 

Climate action is becoming an increasingly important business priority, shaping how organisations innovate, grow, and create long-term value. To make meaningful progress, businesses need clarity. They need to understand where they stand today, where they are improving, and where they can go further. Benchmarking provides this clarity. It turns sustainability from an ambition into something measurable, comparable, and actionable. Lenovo already leads in this space, as demonstrated with clear progress and transparency shared in the latest ESG report. 

To support this shift for others, Lenovo partners with ClimateChoice to help its global partner ecosystem build sustainability capabilities and accelerate climate maturity. Through structured climate benchmarking and practical capability building, Lenovo 360 Circle provides the framework that enables partners to benchmark progress, strengthen expertise, and accelerate sustainable business transformation. 

A Community for Sustainable Business Transformation 

Lenovo 360 Circle is Lenovo’s global sustainability community, designed to help partners build sustainability capabilities, connect with expertise, and accelerate sustainable business transformation. By bringing together partners, Lenovo leaders, and industry experts, Lenovo 360 Circle provides a collaborative environment where organisations can share best practices, strengthen their capabilities, benchmark progress, and create greater value for customers. 

Lenovo 360 Circle is founded on the belief that sustainable business transformation is achieved through collaboration. By connecting partners across the ecosystem, the community enables organisations to build knowledge, access practical insights, measure progress, and develop the capabilities needed to differentiate their business, support customers’ sustainability objectives, and unlock long-term growth.  

To support partners at different stages of their sustainability journey, the Lenovo 360 Circle uses a structured three-stage model: 

• Connect: partners are taking their first steps in sustainability. They are building awareness, exploring foundational concepts, and beginning to understand how sustainability fits into their business. 
• Learn: partners have started to structure their sustainability strategy. They are developing goals, building internal capability, and integrating sustainability into their operations and customer conversations. 
• Lead: partners have advanced sustainability strategies and are recognized as role models. They demonstrate strong governance, transparent reporting, and a commitment to driving progress across the wider ecosystem. 

Together, these stages create a pathway that supports partners at every point in their journey. 

What is ClimateChoice Benchmarking and Why It Matters 

ClimateChoice is an independent climate intelligence organisation that helps businesses assess and improve their sustainability performance. Its benchmarking framework evaluates companies across areas such as decarbonization, governance, strategy, emissions performance, and transparency. 

The insights help partners understand their current maturity and identify the actions that will have the greatest impact. For Lenovo 360 Circle members, the benchmark provides a structured view of climate performance and a clear roadmap for improvement. 

2026 Benchmark Results: A Community Moving Forward Together 

For the third year, ClimateChoice benchmarked the climate performance of the Lenovo 360 Circle community, Lenovo’s sustainability ecosystem of international channel partners. The 2026 benchmark shows measurable progress: the overall ClimateChoice Score increased by 12 points, reaching an average of 54 out of 100.  

The strongest improvements were achieved in Decarbonization Measures with +14 points, Strategy & Control with +13 points, and Emissions Performance with +13 points.  

These gains reflect a community that is moving from planning to execution, strengthening sustainability capabilities across the Lenovo partner ecosystem.. Partners are strengthening governance, improving emissions measurement, and embedding sustainability into their operations. 

The benchmark helps participating companies understand where they stand, where gaps remain, and which next steps matter most. It also creates a shared view of climate maturity and progress across Lenovo 360 Circle. 

From Data to Action: Expanding the Lenovo and ClimateChoice Collaboration 

Building on these insights, Lenovo and ClimateChoice are extending their collaboration from data-driven climate assessment to practical partner enablement, helping members build expertise through benchmarking, structured learning, and practical guidance. A dedicated masterclass series, delivered by ClimateChoice together with learning partner Five Glaciers, helps members strengthen their foundations in carbon accounting, decarbonization roadmapping and governance for successful climate management, with a focus on practical next steps in a world of regulatory complexity and fast-changing market needs.  

This makes the Lenovo 360 Circle community a best practice for partner engagement: benchmarking climate maturity across the ecosystem year-over-year, identifying gaps and improvement areas, building capabilities and tracking progress towards shared targets.  

“The results of this year’s ClimateChoice Benchmark are very encouraging. Seeing our Lenovo 360 Circle community improve its overall score by 12 points demonstrates the power of collaboration in accelerating climate action. The ClimateChoice Benchmark provides partners with valuable insights into their climate maturity, while our expanded enablement programme helps turn those insights into meaningful action. Together, we are building the capability, confidence, and momentum needed to drive measurable progress across the partner ecosystem. 

Virginie Kristell Mari Le Barbu Executive Director, Global Sustainability, International Markets Lenovo. 

“The Lenovo 360 Circle community shows what effective ecosystem engagement can look like: benchmark climate maturity, identify improvement areas, build capabilities and track progress over time. This is how climate data moves from a reporting requirement into successful business action.” 

Yasha Tarani, Co Founder and CEO, ClimateChoice 

Looking Ahead 

As climate ambition grows across the industry, the focus is shifting toward execution. The next leap forward will come from partners who embed sustainability into their operations and long term strategies. 

Lenovo 360 Circle is demonstrating the value of ecosystem collaboration in accelerating sustainable business transformation. By bringing together partners, industry experts, and Lenovo leaders, the community is helping organisations build sustainability capabilities, benchmark progress, share best practices, and create greater value for customers. As sustainability continues to shape the future of business, Lenovo 360 Circle provides a pathway for partners to strengthen their capabilities, differentiate their business, and unlock long-term growth. 

Interested in learning more? Visit the Lenovo 360 Circle community page on the Lenovo Partner Hub to explore our available resources and learn how Lenovo 360 Circle can help your organisation build sustainability capabilities and accelerate sustainable business transformation. 

Cascale staff recently attended Bharat Tex 2026 in New Delhi, India.

The event drew more than 124,000 attendees and 1,600+ exhibitors, along with knowledge sessions featuring C-suite decision-makers from leading textile organizations across India.

Key Takeaways:

• Cascale members, staff showcased a strong turnout at Bharat Tex.
• Actionable decarbonization projects, emerging textile legislation, and India’s unique craft history were focal points in the programming.
• Many attendees made note of Higg Facility Environmental Module (Higg FEM) as a solution amid ongoing audit fatigue.

The event’s theme “Sustainable, Circular, and Competitive Bharat” prioritized actionable roadmaps over high-level commitments. Dedicated hubs showcased technical advancements in circular design, resource optimization, and ethical sourcing, positioning sustainability as a core driver of global competitiveness.

Many Cascale members exhibited at the event: among them were Arvind Limited, Shahi Exports, Cotton Connect, Solidaridad, and PDS. Attending Cascale staff included Canelia Mbida, manager of manufacturer member activation; Deepak Kashyap, senior manager, Higg Facility Tools; Isha Agnihotri, manager, Higg facility tools; Prasanth Nandakumar, manager, stakeholder engagement, APAC; and Yasotharan Manivel, manager, decarbonization program.

Audit fatigue remains a top concern for Indian manufacturers, according to one session titled “Decarbonizing Textile Clusters in India: From Commitment to Action.” Workshop facilitators included Cascale members Solidaridad and Fashion For Good, among others, where the discussion centered on how mid-to-medium-sized enterprises increasingly seek greater alignment around standards to ease administrative burdens. In other conversations, member representatives repeatedly cited Higg FEM, stewarded by Cascale and exclusively available on Worldly, as a critical component of the audit solution, showcasing the Higg Index as a trusted industry standard.

Policy conversations were also featured prominently. India’s government-led Mission on Cotton Productivity shared how it aims to boost cotton yields through seed research, modernized farming techniques, and upgrades to 2,000 ginning mills — part of India’s broader “5F” vision (“Farm to Fiber, Fiber to Factory, Factory to Fashion, Fashion to Foreign” initiative). The new India-UK Free Trade Agreement generated optimism among attendees about expanded market access.

Still, India’s supply chain is at an inflection point like the wider industry. Artificial intelligence, research and development, and smart manufacturing practices were cited as priorities by executives for providing newfound resilience. Meanwhile, India’s history of craft and reuse – an estimated $350-billion circular industry – supports ongoing strides for durable design and extended producer responsibility (EPR).

Panels also touched on the importance of financial incentives in nurturing India’s textile sector while preparing it for the future.

Cascale staff recently attended Bharat Tex 2026 in New Delhi, India.

The event drew more than 124,000 attendees and 1,600+ exhibitors, along with knowledge sessions featuring C-suite decision-makers from leading textile organizations across India.

Key Takeaways:

• Cascale members, staff showcased a strong turnout at Bharat Tex.
• Actionable decarbonization projects, emerging textile legislation, and India’s unique craft history were focal points in the programming.
• Many attendees made note of Higg Facility Environmental Module (Higg FEM) as a solution amid ongoing audit fatigue.

The event’s theme “Sustainable, Circular, and Competitive Bharat” prioritized actionable roadmaps over high-level commitments. Dedicated hubs showcased technical advancements in circular design, resource optimization, and ethical sourcing, positioning sustainability as a core driver of global competitiveness.

Many Cascale members exhibited at the event: among them were Arvind Limited, Shahi Exports, Cotton Connect, Solidaridad, and PDS. Attending Cascale staff included Canelia Mbida, manager of manufacturer member activation; Deepak Kashyap, senior manager, Higg Facility Tools; Isha Agnihotri, manager, Higg facility tools; Prasanth Nandakumar, manager, stakeholder engagement, APAC; and Yasotharan Manivel, manager, decarbonization program.

Audit fatigue remains a top concern for Indian manufacturers, according to one session titled “Decarbonizing Textile Clusters in India: From Commitment to Action.” Workshop facilitators included Cascale members Solidaridad and Fashion For Good, among others, where the discussion centered on how mid-to-medium-sized enterprises increasingly seek greater alignment around standards to ease administrative burdens. In other conversations, member representatives repeatedly cited Higg FEM, stewarded by Cascale and exclusively available on Worldly, as a critical component of the audit solution, showcasing the Higg Index as a trusted industry standard.

Policy conversations were also featured prominently. India’s government-led Mission on Cotton Productivity shared how it aims to boost cotton yields through seed research, modernized farming techniques, and upgrades to 2,000 ginning mills — part of India’s broader “5F” vision (“Farm to Fiber, Fiber to Factory, Factory to Fashion, Fashion to Foreign” initiative). The new India-UK Free Trade Agreement generated optimism among attendees about expanded market access.

Still, India’s supply chain is at an inflection point like the wider industry. Artificial intelligence, research and development, and smart manufacturing practices were cited as priorities by executives for providing newfound resilience. Meanwhile, India’s history of craft and reuse – an estimated $350-billion circular industry – supports ongoing strides for durable design and extended producer responsibility (EPR).

Panels also touched on the importance of financial incentives in nurturing India’s textile sector while preparing it for the future.

NEW YORK, August 19, 2026 /3BL/ – Sustainability consulting and research firm Governance & Accountability Institute (G&A) has released a new issue brief describing the OECD’s Guidance for Responsible AI Due Diligence and how it can be used to inform each company’s enterprise-wise strategy. The brief also explains how the Guidance maps to existing global legislation on AI use.

The brief, titled “New Guidance from OECD on Responsible AI: What Companies Need to Know,” presents a world map highlighting major evolutions in AI governance frameworks in recent years, so companies can identify where the OECD guidance is interoperable with guidance or legislation in their jurisdictions. The brief also provides a detailed breakdown of the OECD Guidance, outlining: stakeholders of concern, enterprise applicability, and value chain implications.

As enterprise AI use continues to skyrocket, potential negative impacts on the environment, human rights, and governance standards become more important to identify, assess, and mitigate.

The new brief from G&A’s expert analysts covers:

• Overview of current landscape of AI use by companies
• Recent capital investments in enterprise-scale AI systems
• Types of AI-related risk that can arise throughout the value chain
• Developments in global AI regulations
• A breakdown of the OECD Guidance, including:
  • Which enterprises and stakeholders are in scope?
  • What are the main requirements of due diligence for responsible AI?
  • How can companies implement practical strategies across their enterprises?

The report is available through G&A’s research hub.

About G&A Institute, Inc.
Founded in 2006, Governance & Accountability Institute (G&A) is a New York–based sustainability consulting and research firm with deep advisory experience supporting corporate leaders and investors in integrating sustainability into governance, risk, enterprise performance, and evolving regulatory and stakeholder expectations.

Backed by rigorous disclosure research and one of the industry’s most comprehensive benchmarking databases, we deliver insight that strengthens transparency, enhances competitiveness, and drives measurable return on investment.

G&A has published numerous research papers, issue briefs, and quick reference guides covering global sustainability reporting regulations and frameworks, including the CSRD, ISSB standards, and other emerging mandates.

For more information, visit G&A Institute.

Media Contact:
Louis D. Coppola
Governance & Accountability Institute, Inc.
Tel 646.430.8230 ext 14
Email: lcoppola@ga-institute.com

At Covia, we believe that thriving communities lead to a brighter, more prosperous future for all. With the help of our team members, we invest our time, talent, and financial resources to give back to our communities. We collaborate with hundreds of local organizations to strengthen our communities through in-kind contributions, charitable donations, and volunteerism.

We periodically recognize employees who demonstrate exceptional commitment to giving back and making a difference in their communities. This month, we are proud to recognize Joe Forristal, a Specialty Operator at Covia’s Black Lab Chardon plant. For more than 20 years, his dedication and commitment to volunteerism has positively impacted the Village of Rock Creek.

According to Kurt Krebs, Senior Plant Manager at Black Lab, “Joe has been a great member of the Black Lab crew from day one. He works extremely hard and sets the bar high for the younger generation working alongside him.”

That same work ethic extends far beyond the workplace. Joe has volunteered for the Village of Rock Creek for over 20 years. Situated in the northeastern part of Ohio’s Ashtabula County, Rock Creek is a close-knit rural community renowned for its covered bridges, wineries, and a strong sense of community pride.

Just this year alone, Joe has dedicated hundreds of volunteer hours to helping the village. His contributions include painting the community pavilion, replacing boards on the handicap ramp at the village hall, trimming roadside bushes to ensure school buses can safely pick up children, replacing smoke detectors for community members, helping maintain the village maintenance garage, planting flowers throughout the community, and creating holiday decorations from recycled pallets.

“I’ve always believed that if you have the time and ability to help, you should. It’s rewarding to see the difference even small projects can make in the community.” said Joe.

Joe has tackled countless projects over the years, but he is especially proud of a project from several years ago when he helped the community during a sewer line break. Before joining Covia, he worked in the oil fields, where he gained experience working with piping systems. When the sewer line failed, he put his knowledge to good use by helping to dig up and repair the damaged pipe. When asked what it was like to work on a live sewer line, Joe laughed and said, “It wasn’t that bad!”

Joe’s commitment to serving others continues today. Currently, he is refurbishing candy cane decorations made from scrap materials that would otherwise be discarded. He is helping to give them new life for the community to enjoy during the holiday season.

We are proud of Joe and the many employees who dedicate their time and talents to supporting the communities where they live and work. Joe’s commitment to volunteerism is a great example of how our employees make a meaningful difference through service. To learn more about our volunteer efforts, visit https://www.coviacorp.com/corporate-responsibility/positive-social-impact/the-covia-foundation/.