Tag: 3BL

CHARLOTTE, N.C., AUGUST 14, 2025 /3BL/ – DP World announces that three of its Americas teams have been recognized with Global Kaizen Awards for their outstanding achievements in continuous improvement, raising the bar for operational excellence, customer value, and safety.

The Global Kaizen Awards celebrate DP World teams worldwide that exemplify Kaizen — making small, smart changes that lead to meaningful impact. This year’s winners from the Americas include:

• Middletown, Pennsylvania, U.S. – 2024 Global Kaizen Award Winner (Contract Logistics): Greenficiency
• El Paso, Texas, U.S. – 2024 Global Kaizen Award Winner (Contract Logistics): Warehouse Optimization
• Santos, Brazil – Q1 2025 Global Kaizen Award Winner (Ports & Terminals): Gate Express for Empty Chassis

Middletown, Pennsylvania – Greenficiency

Category: 2024 Global Kaizen Winner (Contract Logistics)
Focus: Sustainable strategy to reduce plastic/cardboard waste and boost efficiency through innovative technology

The Middletown team tackled underutilization of its Packsize X4 machine and outdated packaging processes, leading to excess waste and lower efficiency. By redesigning workflows, consolidating pick and pack operations, and fully enabling right-size box production, the team delivered:

• 34% reduction in cycle time
• 54% increase in units per hour (UPH)
• 26% improvement in machine utilization
• 30% increase in volume handled
• 33% increase in box utilization
• Elimination of 2.1 tons of plastic waste
• 74% reduction in cardboard usage

El Paso, Texas – Warehouse Optimization

Category: 2024 Global Kaizen Winner (Contract Logistics)
Focus: Improving put-away and pick performance through 5S and layout optimization

The El Paso II Auto team identified that three key parts caused 88% of relocation-related inefficiencies. Using slotting analysis, lean principles, 5S, and Failure Mode and Effect Analysis (FMEA), they repositioned frequently used materials into a “golden zone” and optimized warehouse layout. The results:

• 36% increase in bulk capacity
• 10% improvement in space utilization
• 19% reduction in cycle time
• 66% reduction in replenishment time

Santos, Brazil – Gate Express for Empty Chassis

Category: Q1 2025 Global Kaizen Winner (Ports & Terminals)
Focus: Increasing gate productivity through a dedicated empty chassis process

The Santos team streamlined the Gate IN process by creating fast lanes for empty chassis, bypassing the OCR portal, eliminating unnecessary inspections, and deploying handheld devices with targeted staff training. Outcomes included:

• Transaction times under 1 minute for empty vehicles
• Transaction times under 2 minutes 30 seconds for trucks with containers
• Increased monthly truck processing capacity
• Annual cost savings
• Enhanced operational safety, resource efficiency, driver satisfaction, and environmental performance

A Culture of Continuous Improvement
These award-winning projects show the power of empowering teams to innovate. From sustainability gains in Middletown, to space and productivity optimization in El Paso, to port process enhancements in Santos — each project demonstrates how Kaizen delivers measurable value to DP World’s customers, people, and our planet.

For more on DP World’s global approach to innovation and operational excellence, visit www.dpworld.com.

Enterprise resource planning (ERP) implementations are among the most transformative and challenging initiatives an organization can undertake. These projects touch nearly every aspect of business operations, from finance and supply chain to human resources and customer service. Yet, despite their scope and complexity, one critical success factor is often overlooked until it’s too late: data.

Clean, well-structured data is not just a nice-to-have, it’s the foundation upon which an ERP project’s success is built. Taking a “data first” approach lays the foundation for this success while also developing long-term analytics value for an organization.

What is a “data first” approach to an ERP project? 

ERP projects are inherently complex with many possible starting points, but regardless of the chosen path, delaying data governance until after go-live is a costly mistake. Rather than treating data as a downstream task, taking a data first approach has organizations prioritizing data readiness and governance from the very beginning of the ERP journey by proactively establishing frameworks, roles and tools needed to ensure clean, consistent and trusted data flows into the new system.

A data first approach begins with establishing a data governance program early in the ERP project timeline. A well-structured data governance program typically rests on three foundational components:

1. Defining a data governance charter: This charter outlines the guiding principles and desired outcomes of the governance effort. Whether the organization is prioritizing risk mitigation, data quality or improving data accessibility and literacy, the charter serves as a strategic compass for all data-related decisions.
2. Establishing a governance framework: This involves clearly defining the roles, responsibilities and timing of stakeholder involvement throughout the ERP lifecycle. By mapping out who needs to be involved at each state, organizations can avoid costly rework and ensure that decisions are informed, timely and aligned with broader data objectives.
3. Developing policies and best practices: Based on the organization’s goals, this step includes setting standards for data security, data quality and master data management – core elements of any ERP project. These policies not only promote consistency, but also elevate the data literacy of ERP stakeholders, many of whom may be experts in their business functions but less familiar with the implications of their decisions on data integrity.

Parallel to these components, success hinges on organizations identifying and engaging key data stakeholders/subject matter experts across each data domain/business unit. These individuals bring essential operational knowledge and should be actively involved in shaping ERP workflows and defining system functionality.

Beyond identifying data owners and stewards, it’s important to establish a strategic advisory group with enterprise-level insight into the organization’s data landscape. This group plays a key role in coordinating across functional areas, resolving cross-domain issues and ensuring that ERP decisions are made with a clear understanding of their downstream implications.

Lastly, when transitioning from a legacy system to a modern ERP platform, one of the most critical tasks is determining which data to migrate. This typically includes essential historical data for analysis, open transactions and core master data such as customer, product, location and employee records.

While most ERP systems offer direct integration capabilities, many organizations still rely on manual, labor intensive processes, like exporting and re-importing data via Excel or CSV templates. Although functional, these traditional methods are prone to human error which can lead to inconsistencies, repeated work and compromised data integrity.

To manage these risks, organizations should utilize modern data management tools such as Microsoft Fabric, Amazon Web Services (AWS) or Snowflake, to automate and streamline data transformation and loading. These platforms enable teams to:

• Build ingestion pipelines that extract data from legacy systems
• Define and apply business rules for data cleansing, consolidation and mapping
• Automate the transformation process and load clean, structured data into the new ERP system

Automating these steps not only reduces the likelihood of errors but also accelerates the migration timeline. While there is some upfront work in configuring these tools, the long-term benefits, such as faster reloads, improved accuracy and reduced work, far outweigh the initial effort. This approach also creates a reusable data model that supports post-go-live analytics. Instead of having to discard the effort invested in manual migration, organizations retain a curated data warehouse that can ingest new ERP data and serve as the foundation for reporting, planning and artificial intelligence (AI) initiatives.

Overall, by taking a data first approach, organizations can avoid the post-implementation scramble to reconcile data inconsistencies or retroactively define data governance policies. Instead, they move forward with a unified strategic direction – one that ensures data integrity, supports analytics readiness and maximizes the value of the ERP investment.

Avoid common ERP challenges with a data first approach 

Taking a data first approach to an ERP implementation directly addresses and resolves many of the most common challenges organizations face during this complex transformation.

• Misaligned or siloed data ownership: Leads to inconsistent definitions, duplicated efforts and conflicting datasets

Implementing a robust data governance framework helps unify these efforts by clarifying how data is shared, used and impacts multiple areas of the organization. This not only reduces work and inefficiencies, but also ensures that data is accurate, non-redundant and aligned across all functional areas.

• Low data quality undermining trust in the new system: If users encounter errors or inconsistencies on day one, adoption suffers

A data first approach emphasizes data cleansing, validation and quality standards before migration. Paired with automating data preparation, this ensures users access accurate, reliable data, building trust in the new ERP system and supporting user adoption and change management efforts.

• Poor visibility into legacy data and mappings: Makes it difficult to trace decisions or support historical reporting

Utilizing cloud-based platforms allows organizations to document and automate data transformation logic. This retains visibility into how legacy data maps to the new ERP system, supporting both operational continuity and future analytics. While ERP systems are not designed to retain legacy data, a well-structured analytics platform can bridge the gap – integrating both old and new data-sources for a unified view.

• Bottlenecks during migration and testing: Resulting from manual migration processes as teams wait for individual contributors

A data first approach mitigates these delays by automating key steps and making data accessible to all relevant stakeholders. This fosters a more collaborative environment, accelerates testing cycles and reduces dependency on single points of failure.

• Missed opportunities for analytics post go-live: With valuable transformation logic lost in spreadsheets and ad hoc processes

Rather than needing to start from scratch, a data first approach ensures that the data infrastructure developed during the ERP implementation can be leveraged for ongoing reporting, planning and innovation. This maximizes the return on investment (ROI) and enables data-driven decision-making well beyond go-live.

The benefits of a data first approach are not just complementary to ERP challenges – they are purpose-built to overcome them. This alignment is what makes the approach so effective in driving both immediate implementation success and long-term data value.

Real-world example: Success with a data first approach 

This multi-site mining company was undergoing a major ERP transformation and needed to consolidate six legacy systems into a unified platform. Facing challenges such as fragmented data ownership, inconsistent data quality, limited visibility into historical data and manual migration processes, the company engaged Baker Tilly to deliver a data governance-driven approach.

Utilizing a data first approach, Baker Tilly established a robust data governance framework, defining master data management standards and empowering business stakeholders through data training and stewardship roles. Leveraging Microsoft Fabric, the team automated data ingestion, transformation and validation, enabling iterative data mapping and quality assurance.

This approach not only ensured a smooth ERP rollout with reduced rework and greater trust in ERP system outputs, but also laid the foundation for long-term analytics, reporting and artificial intelligence (AI) initiatives.

How we can help 

Implementing a new ERP system is more than just a technology upgrade, it’s a data transformation. By taking a data first approach and investing in data governance from the outset, organizations can mitigate the risks associated with an ERP project and unlock value faster.

The IFS Cloud platform is designed to be customizable and can integrate successfully with other data migration tools that meet a user’s needs. These robust in-solution tools allow data to be imported from various sources which can help users leverage familiar environments.

Baker Tilly’s digital solutions team can help turn your organizational data into a strategic asset – before, during and after an ERP implementation. Utilize our data first approach to get started turning your organizational data into a competitive advantage. Contact one of our specialists to learn more.

Originally published on https://newsroom.marykay.com/

DALLAS, August 14, 2025 /3BL/ – Mary Kay Inc., a global leader in direct selling and skin innovation, announces the launch of its cutting-edge AI Foundation Finder – an intuitive technology designed to help consumers effortlessly find their foundation match, while empowering Mary Kay independent beauty consultants to guide their customers in finding the right match – right from their phones.

A first in the direct selling industry, this AI Foundation Finder uses advanced artificial intelligence to scan a customer’s face on their mobile phone and provide personalized shade recommendations in just seconds. What sets this AI-powered tool apart is that it is informed by a scientifically developed scale offering an inclusive and nuanced understanding of human skin tones. The technology captures the user’s skin tone using their camera and then matches it to the most accurate Mary Kay foundation shade by analyzing the user’s skin tone and the corresponding RGB values of the Mary Kay foundation products^[1]. Mary Kay holds exclusive rights to the tool, making it a true direct selling industry disruptor^[2].

“AI Foundation Finder fuels our vision to be a beauty disruptor in the direct selling space and beyond,” said Dr. Lucy Gildea, Mary Kay’s Chief Brand and Scientific Officer. “We are pioneering AI shade matching globally, helping consumers meet their foundation match within the diverse range of foundation finishes in the Mary Kay® Flawless Face portfolio. Embracing beauty tech marks a unique opportunity to elevate the category and cultivate our next-generation beauty community.”

The AI Foundation Finder aligns with a rising demand for hyper personalized, tech-enabled beauty solutions amid broader cultural and technological shifts. As the #1 Direct Selling Brand of Skin Care and Color Cosmetics in the World by Euromonitor International for three consecutive years^[3] in 2023, 2024, and again in 2025, this launch further reflects Mary Kay’s commitment to digital innovation, inclusivity, and empowering our beauty entrepreneurs around the world.

“The launch of our AI-powered Foundation Finder reflects a continued commitment to innovation in personalized beauty,” said James Whatley, Mary Kay’s Chief Information Officer. “By leveraging an exclusive AI technology in the Direct Selling channel, we’re able to provide shade recommendations in seconds, while making the consumer experience intuitive, inclusive, and enjoyable. Our Mary Kay independent beauty consultants will now have a powerful digital partner that elevates their business, enhances customer trust, and reimagines how beauty is delivered in a tech-enabled world.”

The tool is now available in select markets and will be rolling out globally in the coming months. For more information, please visit here.

AI Foundation Finder Highlights: 

• Beauty tech: The user’s camera captures real-time tracking of the user’s input video or images with precise detection of 151 facial feature points.
• Inclusiveness: The Mary Kay AI Foundation Finder is based on a proprietary 10-shade scale designed to accurately represent a wide range of human skin tones with inclusivity and precision in mind.
• Performance: In our consumer tests, 83% of consumers expressed that they would be likely to purchase their recommended match. In the Mary Kay Independent Beauty Consultant (IBC) tests, 100% of the Mary Kay IBCs said they would be very likely to use the tool in their business.
• Access: AI Foundation Finder is integrated into the online shopping experience, accessible from www.marykay.com or through the iCatalog, consumers can easily scan and instantaneously find their foundation match.
• Privacy: The AI Foundation Finder does not store or process biometric data.

***

About Mary Kay
One of the original glass ceiling breakers, Mary Kay Ash founded her dream beauty brand in Texas in 1963 with one goal: to enrich women’s lives. That dream has blossomed into a global company with millions of independent sales force members in more than 40 markets. For over 60 years, the Mary Kay opportunity has empowered women to define their own futures through education, mentorship, advocacy, and innovation. Mary Kay is dedicated to investing in the science behind beauty and manufacturing cutting-edge skincare, color cosmetics, nutritional supplements, and fragrances. Mary Kay believes in preserving our planet for future generations, protecting women impacted by cancer and domestic abuse, and encouraging youth to follow their dreams. Learn more at marykayglobal.com. Find us on Facebook, Instagram, and LinkedIn, or follow us on X.

 

^{[1] RGB code stands for red, green, and blue code. It is a color model used in digital imaging and computer graphics to represent colors. Each color is represented by a combination of red, green, and blue values, typically ranging from 0 to 255.
[2] Mary Kay Inc. holds the exclusive rights to the tool for the first 12 months from launch. 
[3] “Source Euromonitor International Limited; Beauty and Personal Care 2025 Edition, value sales at RSP, 2024 data”}

This article is authored by Mauro Atalla, Senior Vice President and Chief Technology and Sustainability Officer, Trane Technologies.

In today’s rapidly evolving business landscape, innovative companies are debunking the idea that sustainability and profitability are mutually exclusive. At Trane Technologies, our robust sustainability strategy is embedded in our business plan, driving significant value and growth. Our commitment to sustainability is enhancing our operations and propelling our financial performance and innovation to new heights, while also helping our customers operate more sustainably.

A clear vision and solid business strategy 

Sustainability and growth require long-term commitments. While Trane Technologies was launched just over five years ago, our core HVAC and refrigeration businesses are over 100 years old and our sustainability-focused business trajectory was set in motion nearly two decades ago. 

When we became Trane Technologies in 2020, investors already valued our focus as a climate innovator and the alignment of our investments and business strategy. We embraced global megatrends, using them as a spur for new ideas and focusing our investment on sustainable innovation. Today, our full products and services portfolio is focused on improving energy efficiency for our customers and driving more sustainable outcomes.

Continued customer demand for more sustainable solutions and our focus on innovation have driven impressive financial performance, including a compound annual revenue growth rate of 12% since 2020 and a 286% increase in total shareholder returns over the same period, almost three times the rate of the S&P 500.

Sustainable practices provide a high return on investment 

One common misconception is that sustainability is more expensive—but it pays off when it’s built into business strategy. We are a participating member of the U.S. Department of Energy’s Better Buildings Initiative, a program that partners with public and private sector leaders with the goal of improving energy efficiency in buildings and factories across the country. Its research shows that every dollar invested in building modernization returns an average of $3 in energy savings over five years. Considering rising energy costs and the fact that many inefficient buildings waste an average of 30% of energy after the meter, this convergence is the sweet spot for technology and innovation in our business.

Today, thermal management systems in our commercial HVAC portfolio are 70% more energy efficient than they were six years ago, and many offer heat recovery and energy storage to enhance energy optimization.

We see first-hand results in our own 100-year old La Crosse, Wisconsin facility, now operating with our Trane® Thermal BatteryTM Storage Source Heat Pump system, a first-of-its-kind solution to advance and integrate electrified, low-carbon heating and cooling and energy storage. The new system saved 15 million gallons of water in 2023—a reduction of 85% from the prior year. It is also estimated to reduce the overall energy use of the building by 28% compared to the previous system.

Trane’s humble beginnings were in this same century-old plant, and now it manufactures some of the largest, yet most efficient, chiller systems we make for high-tech semiconductor and data center industries.

A compelling demand for innovation

Our biggest decarbonization opportunity is reducing emissions related to the use of our products. This idea is what drives our Gigaton Challenge to reduce one billion metric tons of GHG emissions from our customers’ footprint by 2030 (from a 2019 baseline). Delivering on a commitment this big is transformational, not just for our business, but for us all.

Estimates show that electricity could represent up to 70% of final energy demand by 2050. This transition will require a massive expansion of clean power systems, and we can achieve it through the falling costs of renewables, increased availability of energy storage solutions and more solutions that simply reduce energy needs in the first place.

We helped Organon, a global pharmaceutical company in the Netherlands, optimize the heating and cooling needs of its largest production facility while supporting its 2035 carbon neutrality goal. The company is saving nearly 7,700 gigajoules of energy a year—equivalent to almost 243,000 cubic meters of gas—with the implementation of three high-efficiency heat pumps with energy recovery.

As electrified and highly-efficient systems are combined with AI-enhanced solutions and autonomous controls, buildings can be optimized for numerous variables such as weather, pollution, occupancy and building design, supercharging the ability to optimize energy performance.

Our customers’ sustainability and resiliency goals have also challenged us to reduce the carbon intensity associated with our products’ life cycles, which is why we expanded our 2030 Sustainability Commitments to reduce embodied carbon by 40%. Our focus is driving innovation in product development as we design products for circularity, and upstream with some of our most significant material suppliers of low-carbon steel, aluminum and copper.

This level of improvement, advancement and achievement is the result of a clearly defined long-term strategy, strong demand and a consistent commitment to innovation.

Engagement in culture and purpose

We believe innovation and growth come from everyone, so we actively nurture a culture that embraces all that people bring to our company. Our latest Annual Employee Engagement survey score of 82 out of 100, places us in the top quartile of external benchmarks. Additionally, our sustainability index, measuring team sentiment on our sustainability efforts, increased by 2 points, making it one of our highest engagement areas, underscoring the importance employees put on our sustainability-focused purpose.

We embed sustainability into our everyday work and operating model. Our Center for Energy Efficiency and Sustainability (CEES) has been at the heart of our sustainability efforts for 15 years. This dedicated team shapes our sustainability strategy, oversees product stewardship, and drives education and advocacy to elevate sustainability standards both within our company and globally.

We encourage salaried team members across the company to set at least one sustainability goal each year, and we integrate these objectives into their annual plans. We’ve also rapidly grown a global network of almost 1,000 Sustainability Ambassadors who help identify and replicate sustainable business practices across our global footprint. 

These seemingly simple steps to engage our workforce in our sustainability strategy have a very real impact on scaling our efforts and empowering our people to own the actions that will help us grow.

Dedication to a bright future

We have a reputation as a strong operator dedicated to continuous improvement. We are known for credible action through climate innovation and advocacy, bold sustainability commitments that are leading our industry, and a highly engaged global workforce that is propelled by our purpose. This consistency and intentionality translates into growth, demonstrated in our latest Sustainability Report. 

One of the external financial analysts that monitors Trane Technologies put it this way, “Right place, right time, right culture to capitalize.” We couldn’t agree more.

Find a career at Trane Technologies that makes an impact.

Explore our 2024 Sustainability Report.

JACKSON, Miss. August 14, 2025 /3BL/ – Entergy is helping high-school graduates from its four-state service area pursue their college and career dreams with $5,000 scholarships from the company’s Community Power Scholarship program.

This year, the 2025 scholarship recipients include seven exceptional Mississippi students and children of Entergy employees who have showcased remarkable dedication to their community, school and workplace. The one-time scholarships are available for students applying for accredited vocational-technical schools and two-year or four-year colleges and universities.

“These remarkable individuals demonstrate unwavering commitment and effort in shaping a bright future and fostering resilient communities,” said Haley Fisackerly, president and CEO of Entergy Mississippi. “The Community Power Scholarships will support them in taking the next steps of their educational journey and deepening their engagement with the community. Giving back is a core value for Entergy, so we applaud these young leaders for their work.”

The following is a list of the 2025 Entergy Community Power Scholarship recipients from Mississippi and the schools they will be attending:

• Meredith Hawkins, Jackson – Mississippi State University
• Alexis Hunter, Jackson – University of Mississippi
• Grace Gardner, Madison – Colorado State University
• Madelynn Soucie, Madison – Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College
• Ryan Wu, Madison – Duke University
• Alyssa Norsworthy, McComb – Southwest Mississippi Community College
• Desmond Breland – Delta Technical College

The seven Mississippi students join 22 other recipients from across Entergy’s four-state service area.

For more than 20 years, Entergy’s Community Power Scholarship program has provided more than $3.6 million in financial assistance to over 730 children of the company’s employees, aiding them in covering their education costs.

About Entergy Mississippi

Entergy Mississippi, LLC provides electricity to approximately 459,000 customers in 45 counties. Entergy Mississippi is a subsidiary of Entergy Corporation. Entergy produces, transmits and distributes electricity to power life for 3 million customers through our operating companies in Arkansas, Louisiana, Mississippi and Texas. We’re investing for growth and improved reliability and resilience of our energy system while working to keep energy rates affordable for our customers. We’re also investing in cleaner energy generation like modern natural gas, nuclear and renewable energy. A nationally recognized leader in sustainability and corporate citizenship, we deliver more than $100 million in economic benefits each year to the communities we serve through philanthropy, volunteerism and advocacy. Entergy is a Fortune 500 company headquartered in New Orleans, Louisiana, and has approximately 12,000 employees. Learn more at entergymississippi.com and connect with @EntergyMS on social media.

Media inquiries:
entergymsmedia@entergy.com

View original content here.

Published by Action Against Hunger.

What Is the Lean Season? 

Stores from last year’s crops have nearly run out. The shelves on the market are nearly empty, and the few products left are expensive. Families are forced to make impossible choices—skip meals, sell off precious assets, or go into debt—just to survive. This is the reality of “lean season”, also known as “hunger season” or “pre-harvest season”.

Lean season is the period between planting and harvesting, when food availability is at its lowest. It is the furthest point from the previous year’s harvest, and the current crops need time to grow before the next harvest can arrive. Generally, it occurs between May and September and peaks around June but varies regionally. The length and severity of lean season can be impacted by weather, conflict, inflation, and other factors that influence farming cycles and food availability.

This agricultural gap is deadly and causes irreparable damage to the health of children every year. Climate change is making the situation worse. But there are practical, preventative measures we can take to ensure that every life is well nourished, no matter what the seasons bring.

The Human Toll: How Seasonal Hunger Impacts Families 

When food isn’t available, families have to take desperate measures to survive. Families resort to eating unsafe foods, for example food contaminated with fungi or pests, because that is all that is available to them. Sometimes parents give up food so their children can eat, compromising their own health. In 2024, about 4.3 million people were at risk of severe hunger during the lean season and faced dire circumstances like these.

Malnutrition in children rises during the lean season. According to OCHA, 2.6 million children are expected to become acutely malnutrition during the 2025 lean season in Nigeria alone. Malnutrition is gravely serious, especially for children in their first 1,000 days of life (from conception to the second birthday), when their physical and cognitive development is most malleable. Even if treated, children can suffer with complications from being malnourished for life.

To survive one hunger season, families often make sacrifices that undermine their ability to avoid the next one. Sometimes, they sell livestock or other income-generating assets just to have enough money to eat. Parents seek out additional jobs, and sometimes children drop out of school to work or help around the household. Without education, the children have less chances of rising out of poverty in the future, and a cycle of poverty, hunger, and lack of education is perpetuated.

Climate Change: Worsening the Lean Season 

Climate change is disrupting traditional farming cycles, making lean seasons longer and harsher. It has caused shifts in the timing of key events that guide planting and harvesting of crops such as flowering and insect emergence, both of which impact food quality and crop yields according to the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC). These changes can extend periods of food scarcity and create greater unpredictability for what was once a predictable seasonal gap. In Southern Africa, for example, OCHA warned that a changing El Niño pattern coupled with the worst dry spell in 100 years would cause the lean season to start as much as three months earlier than usual — time that some families cannot afford.

The World Bank warns that “About 80% of the global population most at risk from crop failures and hunger from climate change are in Sub-Saharan Africa, South Asia, and Southeast Asia, where farming families are disproportionally poor and vulnerable.” Despite contributing to climate change the least, vulnerable farming families are suffering the greatest consequences of prolonged agricultural gaps. To make matters worse, droughts, hurricanes, floods, wildfires, and other extreme weather events are increasing in frequency and intensity due to climate change. An extreme weather event can wipe away assets and damage soil fertility for years to come. Impoverished families have limited access to financial resources that can help them rebuild from climate shocks, so when the lean season comes again, they are left exposed.

How Action Against Hunger Responds 

1. Emergency intervention

Action Against Hunger is there to provide lifesaving assistance when hunger is at its worst. Children diagnosed with severe acute malnutrition receive essential therapeutic feeding treatment from our expert staff, and over 90% successfully recover to full nutritional health. Food is distributed to hungry families. Cash transfers are made, enabling parents to make the best financial choices for their households, whether that be to purchase food, water, medicine, or other essential items. Whatever a family’s most pressing needs are to get through lean season, Action Against Hunger is ready to do whatever it takes to support them.

2. Prevention

The IPCC’s Sixth Assessment Report concluded that climate change will increasingly add pressure on food production systems and undermine food security. For families already stricken by months of seasonal hunger, the threat is unfathomable. To help at-risk communities adapt, Action Against Hunger promotes climate-smart agriculture to increase crop yields despite difficult growing conditions. Farmer training programs prioritize agroecological principles that promote sustainable, eco-friendly farming methods that improve soil health and build long-term resilience. Climate-smart agriculture strengthens food security and boosts incomes, so families have more resources to get through the agricultural gap.

As climate disasters become increasingly frequent, early warning systems are playing a vital role in the fight against seasonal hunger. The systems integrate climate predictions, food price tracking, nutrition data, population movements, and market trends to forecast where and when food insecurity may spike—often months in advance. Action Against Hunger develops early warning systems and works with partners to pinpoint when and where to focus our resources during the lean season for greatest impact, saving both lives and livelihoods.

3. A Gender Equitable Response

Women experience hunger at higher rates than men largely due to social and cultural barriers, and malnutrition is not the only threat. A 2022 study found that food insecurity is associated with more than double the odds of experiencing or perpetrating violence against women and girls. Action Against Hunger offers protection services and mental health support to victims of gender-based violence and builds a gender-equitable response to the challenges of lean season. Our livelihoods programs focus on women, uplifting them with skills like financial literacy and climate-smart farming which help them live a safe and dignified life.

While women are especially at risk during the lean season, they are also its most powerful changemakers. About 90% of the time, women are responsible for preparing and purchasing food for their families, and dietary choices are gravely important in times of food scarcity. Action Against Hunger equips women with knowledge on how to make the best nutritional choices in suboptimal conditions. In peer support groups, Action Against Hunger promotes good health, nutrition, hygiene, sanitation, and care practices for mothers, infants, and young children. Sanitation and hygiene practices are essential for fighting malnutrition during the lean season when hunger-causing illnesses like cholera and malaria spike.

Case study: Zambia 

In 2024, Zambia was facing the worst drought in forty years due to a changing El Nino pattern. Total crop failure and the death of livestock that damaged the livelihoods of over 6.5 million people. Water sources dried up, and women faced long, dangerous journeys to obtain it elsewhere. The lean season began early and with brutal force. With over 2 million people facing crisis levels of hunger (IPC phase 3 or above), a national emergency was declared.

Action Against Hunger made a swift intervention. We expanded operations to nine districts in the worst-affected regions, taking a multi-sectoral approach that included nutrition and health, food security, WASH, and climate resilience. We collaborated closely with the Ministry of Health and other stakeholders to mitigate the spread of cholera, which was breaking out due to limited access to clean water, through WASH (water, sanitation, and hygiene) initiatives. Lifesaving food assistance was given to families grappling with the dual burden of cholera and food insecurity, helping to aid in disease management and malnutrition prevention. For long term impact, a climate-resilient farming program was launched. The Seeds of Hope Cowpea Project trained 1,285 farmers on agroecological techniques for cultivating drought-resistant cowpeas. This generated ZMW 650,000 in income from crop sales and a reduction of post-harvest losses to nearly zero. Armed with tools and knowledge in climate-smart agriculture, these farmers are now equipped to build a stronger food system in Zambia for the next time lean season strikes.

We cannot break seasonal patterns, but we can break the cycle of hunger and build resilience to seasonal food insecurity. Hunger during the lean season is preventable. With a combination of emergency interventions and long-term resilience-building projects, we can build a future where every life stays well-nourished, even during an agricultural gap.

***

Action Against Hunger leads the global movement to end hunger. We innovate solutions, advocate for change, and reach 21 million people every year with proven hunger prevention and treatment programs. As a nonprofit that works across over 55 countries, our 8,900 dedicated staff members partner with communities to address the root causes of hunger, including climate change, conflict, inequity, and emergencies. We strive to create a world free from hunger, for everyone, for good.

Originally published on PR Newswire

LOUISVILLE, Ky., Aug. 13, 2025 /3BL/ – Children and families in several cities have new opportunities to learn and play together this summer thanks to PNC Grow Up Great^® and the National Center for Families Learning (NCFL). Through PNC Grow Up Great, the company’s signature philanthropic initiative focused on early childhood education, the PNC Foundation recently awarded NCFL a $765,000 grant to pilot an updated version of NCFL’s Let’s Learn Together Outside (LLTO) program in select PNC markets over the next three years.

Let’s Learn Together Outside is a four-week, research-based family engagement program designed to take place in natural environments. LLTO supports families with strategies and activities focused on the importance of nature-based play and early literacy skills for children ages 3 to 5. NCFL supports implementation by providing local organizations with the training, program curricula and coaching to facilitate the program.

Let’s Learn Together Outside programming launched this summer in three cities: Louisville, Ky., with local partner Play Cousins Collective; Birmingham, Ala., with Birmingham Public Libraries; and Huntsville, Ala., with Village of Promise. Programming in Austin, Texas, is expected to launch in 2026 with selected community partners.

Outdoor learning and play are shown to have a variety of positive outcomes for children, including improved problem-solving skills, enhanced memory retention and better social skills. In addition, children who spend regular time outdoors demonstrate lower rates of obesity, improved motor skills and better physical coordination. By combining outdoor learning with early literacy, LLTO harnesses these benefits while also providing parenting adults with the resources they need to ensure their children are kindergarten-ready. 

“Since the start of PNC Grow Up Great over 20 years ago, we’ve counted NCFL as one of our earliest collaborators in building brilliant futures for our youngest learners,” said Sally McCrady, chair and president, PNC Foundation. “We’re excited to see Let’s Learn Together Outside engage children and their families together in the wonder of outdoor learning, fostering deeper connections to nature and one another.”

“NCFL’s commitment to early learning extends beyond our work in collaboration with schools and early childcare settings,” said Felicia Cumings Smith, NCFL president and CEO. “We also believe that young children should have access to early literacy and learning opportunities that enable outdoor exploration.

“Through programs like Let’s Learn Together Outside, NCFL and PNC Grow Up Great are providing families with the tools to explore multigenerational learning at the park, in the backyard or on the playground. When parenting adults and children learn together, the whole family benefits.”

For more information about LLTO or any of NCFL’s family learning programming, visit familieslearning.org. For information on how to be part of LLTO programming in Kentucky or Alabama, contact the local partners listed above.

About the PNC Foundation

The PNC Foundation, which receives its principal funding from The PNC Financial Services Group, Inc. (NYSE: PNC), actively supports organizations that provide services for the benefit of communities in which it has a significant presence. The Foundation focuses its philanthropic mission on early childhood education and community and economic development, which includes the arts and culture. Through PNC Grow Up Great^®, its signature cause that began in 2004, PNC has created a bilingual $500 million, multi-year initiative to help prepare children from birth to age 5 for success in school and life. For more information, visit http://www.pncgrowupgreat.com.

About the National Center for Families Learning (NCFL)

NCFL is a national nonprofit that has worked for more than 35 years to eradicate poverty through education solutions for families. We believe education is a shared, nonpartisan responsibility and that collaboration among families, schools, and community members can lead to powerful learning experiences. NCFL’s vision is to establish coordinated and aligned family learning systems in 60 communities, built with and for families, to increase education and economic outcomes and create thriving communities. For more information on NCFL, visit familieslearning.org. To learn more about our vision or become a Family Learning Community^™ partner, visit familieslearning.org/60×30.

MEDIA CONTACT:
Amy Foster Parish
Director, Communications
Cell: 703-472-5997
aparish@familieslearning.org

SOURCE National Center for Families Learning

NEW YORK, August 13, 2025 /3BL/ – 3BL, a communications technology company helping organizations transform impact and sustainability programs into a business advantage, has partnered with Concordia to further extend the reach of stories that drive meaningful change. This collaboration brings Concordia into 3BL’s Publishing Partner Network, an exclusive group of websites and publications committed to amplifying purpose-driven content.

Concordia’s membership community spans public, private, and nonprofit sectors, with initiatives focused on disaster relief, equity, diplomacy, and more. Through this partnership, visitors to the Concordia website will now have access to 3BL’s real-time stream of digital content—including videos, articles, and reports—from a network of more than 1,500 companies and NGOs.

“Concordia is known for its convening power, bringing together heads of state, leaders of the private and NGO sectors and others with diverse perspectives to explore tangible solutions to global challenges,” said Dave Armon, 3BL executive vice chairman. “This is a natural audience for the impact news and stories distributed through the 3BL Focus platform each and every day.”

The addition of Concordia further strengthens the exclusive network 3BL launched in 2009 to help organizations deliver their impact communications to the right audiences. More than 2,500 stories have already been distributed across the network in 2025 alone. And while distribution remains central to this work, it’s only part of 3BL’s larger mission: transforming how businesses communicate their impact investments, turning responsible actions into tangible business outcomes.

Founded in 2011 by Matthew A. Swift and Nicholas M. Logothetis, Concordia is a registered 501(c)(3) nonprofit dedicated to building partnerships that drive lasting impact around the world.

“It’s our mission to elevate voices addressing the most urgent challenges of our time. Through our Annual Summit, Horizon Summits, membership network, and podcast series, we’re building a continuous global conversation,” said Swift. “3BL’s platform will help us expand that dialogue and deepen our reach.”

Get in touch to learn more about our Publishing Partner Network. 

About 3BL

3BL transforms impact and sustainability initiatives into business advantages. Since 2009, we’ve helped 1,500+ organizations—from Fortune 500s to NGOs—connect purpose with performance. Our proprietary platform delivers targeted distribution, strategic insights, and measurable analytics, while our media division TriplePundit provides solutions-focused journalism and brand storytelling support.

About Concordia

Concordia is the premier global convener of heads of state, government officials, C-suite executives, and leaders from nonprofits, think tanks, and foundations, dedicated to finding market-driven, cross-sector solutions to the world’s most pressing challenges. Our Annual Summit, the largest and most inclusive nonpartisan forum alongside the UN General Assembly, brings together diverse voices to drive action. Additionally, our Horizon Summits focus on key global areas, including the Americas, the United States, Europe and Africa. Learn more at https://www.concordia.net

By Elyse Hauser

Originally published on TriplePundit

More than half of Americans who don’t own homes think homeownership will never be possible for them, according to a 2025 Northwestern Mutual study. The financial services company and Milwaukee Community Land Trust are working to change that in Wisconsin’s largest city. In spite of rising costs of living, stagnant wages, and skyrocketing home prices, they are putting homes in reach for more people. 

Milwaukee Community Land Trust buys run-down houses and properties in the city, fixes the homes or builds new ones, and then sells them to residents with lower incomes at fair prices. Building affordable housing can change lives for individuals and families, but it also goes further, helping revitalize a city and turn vacant spaces into thriving neighborhoods. In 2023, Northwestern Mutual invested $2.5 million in the trust to support its affordable housing work. 

So far, the community land trust’s work with Northwestern Mutual and other Milwaukee organizations has created over 125 affordable houses. If the buyers ever decide to sell these homes, they’re required to sell them at fair, below-market prices, just as they bought them. This helps ensure the new affordable housing will stay affordable for generations to come. 

“We are on a mission to help people be on a better path towards financial stability,” said Grady Crosby, chief impact officer at Northwestern Mutual. Homeownership plays a role in that stability. Homes are financial assets, with values that tend to go up over time. They can be passed down to the next generation, building wealth for families across decades. Yet because of the high and rising costs of buying a home, many people end up renting instead. 

“People who are renting are subject to some fairly vicious swings in in rental rates,” Crosby said. This makes financial planning difficult. Owning a home means having a mortgage with stable monthly payments instead. 

When Northwestern Mutual made its investment in 2023, Milwaukee Community Land Trust quickly put those funds to use, hiring local experts to turn empty buildings and vacant lots into livable space.

“Northwestern Mutual’s impact investment was a game-changer. It allowed us to move quickly in a system that often slows down small developers and nonprofits,” said Lamont Davis, executive director of the trust. “Without it, accessing construction financing would’ve been nearly impossible, and small, local contractors would have been left waiting to be paid.”

The influx of funding also helped the trust prove to itself and others that this model would work. “It affirmed our faith that the community land trust model could work here in Milwaukee,” said Theresa Thomas-Boyd, chair of the Milwaukee Community Land Trust board. “By showing that affordable, dignified housing can be delivered with care and purpose, it opened hearts and doors to new partners who believe in this mission just as deeply as we do.” 

The community land trust’s approach includes support for buyers, especially those who have never owned a home. “A lot of times, it’s first-time homebuyers, those that have been kind of pressed out of the housing market,” Crosby said.

When buying through the trust, they attend home buying counseling sessions, where they learn about the responsibilities of homeownership up front, like taxes, maintenance costs and other expenses. They also learn about the stipulations for resale, part of a legal contract known as a land trust agreement. This agreement means buyers own the home and lease the land it is on, which helps ensure low mortgage payments, and places limits on the profits from resale. 

“They agree when they buy these properties that anytime they sell the property, according to the land trust, they will sell it also at a below-market price,” Crosby said. They can leave the house to an heir, if they choose. But if the heir decides to sell, the stipulations for resale are still in effect.  

Crosby said he believes firmly that this community land trust approach can work elsewhere. In fact, it already has, with hundreds of similar models across the country. He urged people and organizations interested in doing something similar to start a conversation: “Come and talk to us here at Northwestern Mutual, come and talk to the fine folks at Milwaukee Community Land Trust because this model definitely can be replicated, and it’s also scalable.”

Still, difficulties remain. Many Americans face barriers that put affordable housing out of reach, like a lack of job and educational opportunities. Other financial factors play a role, too. For example, this project doesn’t address high interest rates on mortgages, an obstacle Crosby said buyers are currently facing.

“There are a myriad of challenges and issues,” Crosby said. “Home ownership is just one that is manifested as a result of some of the other needs that our community is going through.”

The challenges are especially severe for people of color. “We’ve seen that, and statistics show that, Black and brown families are even more impacted with regard to affordable housing,” Crosby said. In Milwaukee, as in the U.S. overall, Black and Latino homeownership rates are far lower than white homeownership rates.

The challenge now is to make even more housing, and the opportunities it brings, available to more people, in more places. A fresh influx of affordable housing can have a ripple effect, resulting in a more beautiful and vibrant community. 

“We know that when people have more financial stability, they become more confident,” Crosby said. “They become more contributing in their communities. Communities get better. And when we allow folk to really reach their full potential, we believe it’s a benefit to all.” 

In partnership with Georgetown University’s Global Cities Initiative, IWBI and over a dozen supporting organizations—including AAFA, AIHA, ASHRAE, BOMA, Global Green, Green Building Initiative, Green Seal, ICC, IFMA, NEMA, NIBS and USGBC—spotlight policy as a catalyst for scaling healthy buildings and creating healthier communities

Event features nearly 30 confirmed speakers—from a former U.S. Surgeon General, a distinguished member of Congress, an award-winning journalist, to top leaders from ASHRAE, GRESB, USGBC, JLL, UL Solutions, Brown University, Corvias, Aeroseal, Johns Hopkins University, Savills 
and Trane Technologies

NEW YORKA, August 13, 2025 /3BL/ – The International WELL Building Institute (IWBI), in partnership with Georgetown University’s Global Cities Initiative, is proud to host its second annual Healthy Building Policy Summit in Washington, D.C., on September 29. This landmark, full-day event is dedicated to exploring the critical role of policy at all levels of government in transforming workplaces, buildings and cities to improve health, build resilience and foster thriving communities.

“Building on our momentum from last year’s inaugural event, this year’s Healthy Building Policy Summit dives deeper into critical areas — from indoor air quality to innovation and private sector leadership — showing how we are doubling down on the policies and partnerships that can turn every building into a force for well-being for everyone, everywhere,” said IWBI President and CEO Rachel Hodgdon.

By convening a dynamic cross-section of policymakers, public health experts, private sector innovators, and government leaders, the Summit aims to accelerate bold ideas and actionable policies that advance health through the built environment. “We’re excited to host this policy summit at a moment when decisions on human health are being treated as a core performance metric for public and private places across the built environment,” said Uwe S. Brandes, Professor and Director of the Georgetown Global Cities Initiative, which is hosting the event at the McCourt School of Public Policy on its Capitol Campus. “We’ll be exploring how policy, planning, and investment decisions at all jurisdictional levels enhance and protect human health in our buildings and cities.”

The Summit will focus on critical topics and timely issues impacting the built environment including indoor air quality, the evidence-based return on investment (ROI) of healthy buildings, as well as the influence of legislation on market transformation. Other key topics include access to healthy environments, the leadership role of cities and states, and the contribution of professional organizations and technical standards in advancing healthy building initiatives.

An impressive lineup of nearly 30 speakers are confirmed, including:

• Dr. Richard Carmona, M.D., MPH, FACS. 17th Surgeon General of the United States
• Rachel Hodgdon, President and CEO, IWBI
• Congressman Paul D. Tonko. D-NY 20th District, U.S. House of Representatives
• Christopher King, Dean, School of Health, Georgetown University
• Holly Paeper, President of Commercial HVAC Americas, Trane Technologies
• William McQuade, President, ASHRAE
• Erin Billups, National Health Reporter, Spectrum News
• Chris Pyke, Chief Innovation Officer, GRESB
• Tanya Eagle, Director of Sustainable Buildings, JLL
• Georgia Lagoudas, Ph.D., Senior Fellow, Brown University School of Public Health
• Kazukiyo (Kazu) Kumagai, Chief of the Air Quality Section, California Department of Public Health
• Erika Heet, Editor-In-Chief, BuildingGreen
• Elizabeth Beardsley, Senior Policy Counsel, U.S. Green Building Council
• Uwe Brandes, Professor, Director of the Urban & Regional Planning Program and Director of the Georgetown Global Cities Initiative, Georgetown University
• Seydina Fall, Senior Lecturer, Institute for Planetary Health, Johns Hopkins University
• Wendy Feldman Block, Executive Managing Director, Savills, Inc.
• Denise Hauck, President, Department of Defense (DOD) Division, Corvias
• Sean McCrady, Vice President, Software and Advisory, UL Solutions
• Dr. Serene Almomen, CEO, Co-Founder, Attune
• Rachel Kohli, Director of Campus Planning, Georgetown University
• Trisha Miller, Vice President, Policy and Market Development, Aeroseal
• Whitney Austin Gray, SVP, Research, IWBI
• Susan Chung, Associate Director, Enterprise Research, Vice President, HKS
• Jonathan Gritz, SVP, Energy Solutions, WellStat
• Jason Hartke, EVP, External Affairs and Global Advocacy, IWBI

This year’s Summit is supported by leading companies committed to advancing health in buildings. Principal sponsors include Trane Technologies, Aeroseal, UL Solutions and Attune, whose leadership and commitment help make the event possible. The event is also supported by Associate sponsors SafeTraces and Vogel Group, with Daikin serving as host for the Summit’s evening reception. Lutron and WellStat are joining as WELL Summit Series Gold sponsors.

“We now know unequivocally that our buildings are foundational to our health, shaping how we live, work and connect. By positioning them to actively promote well-being, we can unlock a healthier future for everyone,” said Dr. Richard Carmona, 17th Surgeon General of the United States. “The Healthy Building Policy Summit is a signature gathering where we can come together to explore the accelerants that will take these strategies to scale in communities across the country.”

“We have a chance to get ahead — to shape the future of our workplaces, buildings and communities through smart policy, effective programs and more strategic use of the vast public funds being directed into our buildings over the next decade,” said Jason Hartke, Executive Vice President, External Affairs and Global Advocacy, IWBI. “The Healthy Building Policy Summit is the only national gathering dedicated to charting that future and shaping policies and priorities that will deliver on our ambitious healthy building agenda. I’m honored to be partnering with Georgetown and an extraordinary coalition of supporting organizations, industry leaders and media partners, showing that the strongest leadership comes through partnership.”

“Research is the bridge between what we know works for health and how we put it into practice,” said Whitney Austin Gray, Senior Vice President, Research, IWBI. “We know that investing in health in the built environment delivers returns far beyond well-being, from stronger business performance to greater community resilience. The Policy Summit is a unique opportunity to showcase the evidence that makes the business case, equipping policymakers to shape the future of healthy building policy.”

The event also includes several Supporting Organizations, including American Industrial Hygiene Association, ASHRAE, Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America, BOMA International, Global Green, Green Seal, International Codes Council, International Facilities Management Association, ISSA – Worldwide Cleaning Industry Association, National Electrical Manufacturers Association, National Institute of Building Sciences, and U.S. Green Building Council. In addition, the Summit’s Media Partners include BuildingGreen, FacilitiesNet and Buildings Magazine.

What Our Supporters are Saying

“Advancing health in buildings is becoming a clear priority for organizations around the world,” said Scott Tew, Vice President, Sustainability and Managing Director, Center for Energy Efficiency and Sustainability, Trane Technologies. “We’re proud to support the Healthy Building Policy Summit because it is moving this critical conversation forward and reshaping how we coalesce around policy solutions to ramp up building-scale interventions that improve health and well-being, boost productivity and strengthen our businesses.”

“Collectively, we have the technologies and scientific knowledge—many of them readily available and capable of transforming workplaces and organizations so they can better invest in their people,” said Sean McCrady, Vice President, Software and Advisory, UL Solutions. “The Healthy Building Policy Summit provides an opportunity to break down barriers and build a future where healthy indoor spaces are the norm.”

“The Healthy Building Policy Summit gives us the opportunity to deliver high-performance building solutions in collaboration with stakeholders across the country,” said Trisha Miller, Vice President, Policy and Market Development, Aeroseal. “Fortunately, we’re seeing an important convergence where health, energy efficiency and building resilience are coming together, so we can support these shared priorities at once.”

For more information and to register for the event, visit IWBI’s Summit registration page.

WELL’s accelerating global reach reflects the growing momentum for policies that prioritize healthier spaces worldwide. Last month, global growth and adoption of the WELL Building Standard (WELL) surged to more than 6 billion square feet (557.4 million square meters) of real estate, demonstrating incredible market adoption spanning nearly 100,000 locations across 138 countries that are realizing the positive impacts of people-first places.

 

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.

About Georgetown University’s Global Cities Initiative

The Georgetown Global Cities Initiative reaches across the entire University community to

explore cross-cutting themes related to urbanization. Through this dialogue, Georgetown aims to align more than 60 faculty scholars and practitioners engaged in urban research who are not otherwise linked through their traditional academic disciplines. The Initiative matches Georgetown’s international research networks with our civic role as a leading local anchor institution in Washington, DC. Research themes include social equity, rapid urbanization, city diplomacy; urban governance frameworks; social entrepreneurship; public health; technology, data and ethics; and changing environmental resources. We invite you to join us in dialogue as we engage one of the most important global trends in the 21st Century.

Media Contacts:
media@wellcertified.com
globalcities@georgetown.edu

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