Tag: 3BL

Can complicated math equations help detect heart disease, even before you realize you’re sick? The answer appears to be yes, and they can do it by sifting through potential clues left behind during your trips to the doctor’s office.

“We now have the automated intelligence tools to help us collect and analyze mountains of medical data in ways that we couldn’t just a short time ago,” said Nina Goodheart, Senior Vice President and President of the Structural Heart and Aortic portfolio businesses at Medtronic. “Artificial intelligence (AI) allows us to examine that data to identify certain types of heart disease sooner and get personalized treatment to the patient faster.”

So what does that actually mean for you?

Let’s use the example of Aortic Stenosis (AS) — a serious heart problem that affects 250,000 Americans every year and often goes undertreated.

AS is a condition where the heart’s aortic valve gradually narrows and restricts blood flow from the heart to the rest of the body. When this happens the body sends out a variety of warning signals through symptoms that can be subtle, vary from person to person, and develop slowly over time. All of which makes diagnosing the problem difficult.

But whenever you visit the doctor, clues to your developing AS may be left behind. At every medical visit, lots of health information gets entered into your Electronic Health Record (EHR). It could include everything from your history of alcohol or tobacco use to vital signs to lab results to notes and observations from the doctor, and much more. The clues pointing to AS might be buried in that EHR data—but it can be a modern-day version of the needle in a haystack.

That’s where the math comes in.

“AI helps us bring order to what can sometimes be data chaos,” said Chris Rogers, Sr. Director of Strategic Provider Solutions at Tempus AI, a healthcare technology company based in Chicago that uses data and artificial intelligence to create medical diagnostic solutions. “Our algorithms can look for unique characteristics in the health data that a clinician might not identify for every one of their patients.”

The company’s software, known as Tempus Next, includes 60 highly complex algorithms, developed to identify potential care gaps across 15 cardiovascular diseases, including AS.

“Our software is designed to handle the complexity of medical data, which requires sophisticated and adaptable solutions,” Rogers explained. “There is no one-size-fits-all algorithm in healthcare. Each institution has unique needs and circumstances, and our technology is built to consider as much information as possible to provide tailored insights.”

Tempus Next combs through the data points in your EHR, even the handwritten notes from your doctor, and compares your information to the diagnostic criteria in clinical guidelines for AS. If your health information meets enough of the criteria, the system notifies your doctor for possible next steps.

It’s much more than a theoretical exercise.

Tempus recently finished a case study with the John Brancaccio St. Francis Hospital and Heart Center in New York. The Tempus Next algorithm identified 388 patients who met the criteria for AS and/or one other serious heart condition, but who did not yet have an existing plan to treat their disease. The Tempus Next system flagged their cases and alerted their doctors to the findings.

Math has made a potentially life-changing difference in each of their lives.

Now, Medtronic and Tempus are teaming up to take the next step—with a clinical study called ALERT—that will analyze health records at six more health sites. The objective is not only to identify patients who may be undertreated and get them to their next step in their care, but also to determine why that’s happening and help design systems to solve the issue.

“The under diagnosis of severe symptomatic aortic stenosis is a pervasive problem that can be fatal within two years without intervention. The goal of this study is to move towards better solutions for more equitable and timely care and to eliminate barriers to treatment,” said Wayne Batchelor, M.D., M.H.S., M.B.A., Interventional Cardiologist, President of the Medicine Service Line, Inova Health System, Fairfax, Va. and Steering Committee Chair of the ALERT study. The most exciting part, experts say, is the potential impact that such technology can have on human health.

“It’s breathtaking to think about the future,” Goodheart added. “Imagine the day when we can apply this technology to hundreds of thousands or millions of patients. Imagine the number of people we can reach before their AS becomes too severe. The number of lives we can lengthen or improve. It adds up in a hurry.”

That’s the kind of math everyone can appreciate.

This is one in a series of stories about how Medtronic is using math and AI to fight disease. Click here to learn how math can help prevent cancer.

Artificial intelligence (AI) is evolving fast. It can now pass the bar exam, write code and diagnose diseases. Yet it still struggles with something far simpler: proving it’s acting in your best interest.

We’re entering a new era of AI — one where systems move from conversation to action. Imagine personal AI agents that not only answer your questions, but also book your travel, manage your finances and coordinate your schedule. They’ll save you time, streamline decisions and help you get more out of everyday life.

But for this future to thrive, one ingredient is essential: trust.

These systems must be able to show they’re acting on your behalf, with your consent and in your best interest. Can a business verify it’s your AI making a purchase? Can another agent confirm it’s acting on your instructions? With the right safeguards in place, the answer is yes.

Trust isn’t about limitations — it’s about powering AI to do more, safely. By building systems with clear boundaries, secure permissions and user control, we unlock the full potential of personal AI.

And that’s the future we’re building: one where AI works with you, for you — on your terms.

Earning your trust: The three pillars of personal AI 

Three requirements stand between today’s conversational AI and tomorrow’s truly personal agents:

1. AI must be able to prove it works for you, not someone impersonating you. 

AI will increasingly interact with businesses, services and even other AI agents. But without a way to verify that it’s acting on behalf of the correct person, these communications open the door to fraud, abuse and security risks.

When your AI agent attempts to make a purchase on your behalf, merchants need verifiable proof that:

• You are who you claim to be (identity)
• You have explicitly authorized this specific AI to act for you (delegation)
• You’ve granted permission for this particular type of transaction (scope)
• The authorization hasn’t been revoked or tampered with (validity)

This challenge isn’t just theoretical. AI-generated voices have been used in scam calls to impersonate loved ones. Deepfakes have fooled financial institutions into approving fraudulent transactions.

But again, it’s not about eliminating risk entirely — it’s about mitigating risks to the lowest levels possible. With secure delegation frameworks, we can allow AI agents to act meaningfully while keeping user identity and intent verifiable.

2. AI must store and retrieve personal data securely. 

For AI to be truly useful, it needs information — access to your calendar, payment details, travel history and other personal data. But this creates a critical question: Where is this data stored and who controls it?

Too much data exposure increases risks; too little makes the AI ineffective. The goal is controlled access: letting your AI pull only what it needs, when it needs it and nothing more.

This points to a new solution: a personal data vault, owned and managed by you. This secure repository would hold your digital life — from financial details to medical info — with access granted only through your explicit permissions.

Such vaults should also support two-way access. If your AI books a flight, it needs to store the confirmation. If it updates your insurance policy, it should log the change. Over time, this builds a more capable AI that still operates within clear limits you define.

3. AI must act within limits set by you. 

Lastly, AI should never be an all-or-nothing tool. It must operate within defined boundaries, giving users control over what it can do, when and for how long.

Imagine asking your AI to manage your home services while you’re traveling. You might want it to reschedule a package delivery, approve a cleaning service visit, or adjust your smart home settings — but that doesn’t mean it should have unlimited access to everything in your home ecosystem. If your AI can unlock the front door for the dog walker, should it also be able to disable your security system? If it can manage a grocery delivery, should it also be allowed to modify your recurring bill payments?

AI should function under clear, user-defined scopes, such as:

• Task-specific permissions – Allowing AI to approve service appointments but not modify security settings
• Time-bound access – Granting access to unlock the door for the dog walker only between 2-3 PM on Wednesdays
• Granular data controls – Letting AI use your stored credit card for one grocery delivery, not for other purchases

The best AI isn’t the one that can do everything — it’s the one that knows its limits and operates within yours.

What’s driving this shift? 

Trust in artificial intelligence isn’t just a nice-to-have. Across the globe, governments are taking action to regulate AI’s expanding role in our lives and economies.

Take the European Union’s AI Act or the Digital Identity Wallet regulations. These aren’t isolated initiatives — they reflect a growing global emphasis on transparency and user control. As AI systems become more autonomous in our daily lives, companies face a stark reality: either develop verifiable AI systems that respect clear permission boundaries, or face mounting regulatory headaches.

For businesses, this is competitive and compliance imperative. Deepfake scams have already cost businesses millions. Companies that can’t verify whether an AI interaction is legitimate face potential consequences, both financial and reputational.

Meanwhile, consumers are growing increasingly savvy about their digital footprints, with 81% expressing concerns about how businesses use their data. The days of passive acceptance of data collection are waning. People are pushing back, demanding services that work for them without compromising their privacy. They’re asking pointed questions: “Who can access my information?” and “Are my AI interactions private or already written off as training material for the next model?” Without satisfactory answers, public trust continues to erode.

A future where AI is personal, private and trusted 

Today’s AI race is all about capabilities. But tomorrow’s breakthroughs will be defined by something even more meaningful: trust. The most impactful systems won’t just be intelligent — they’ll be built to serve you.

Imagine an AI that’s truly personal. One that acts as your trusted delegate — not a detached assistant, but a digital partner operating with your explicit guidance, your values and your boundaries. It doesn’t just know you — it respects you.

As these agents become part of our everyday lives, they’ll open doors to a new kind of freedom: the freedom to offload complexity, reclaim time and navigate the digital world with confidence. When people are in control, AI becomes more than just a tool — it becomes an extension of your intent, working with precision, privacy and purpose.

Because the future of AI isn’t just about what it can do. It’s about what it can do for you on your terms.

Originally published on GoDaddy Newsroom

TEMPE, Ariz., May 19, 2025 /3BL/ — GoDaddy (NYSE: GDDY) today revealed the United States’ Most Entrepreneurial Cities of 2025. The rankings demonstrate both small and large cities are driving innovation, with unexpected underdogs emerging as entrepreneurial powerhouses alongside traditional business hubs.

Top 10 Most Entrepreneurial Cities in the U.S.
Using data from the GoDaddy Small Business Research Lab (formerly Venture Forward), a seven-year-old initiative that studies small business activity across the country, the 2025 ranking was determined following an analysis of cities with the highest number of new ventures created during the previous calendar year.

City	Number of new businesses created	Growth year over year
San Francisco, CA	173,054	122 %
Los Angeles, CA	153,681	50 %
Denver, CO	63,010	56 %
Oklahoma City, OK	11,180	21 %
Frankfort, IL	10,370	16 %
Ontario, CA	9,789	100 %
Wilmington, DE	8,811	14 %
Wilmington, NC	6,734	36 %
Katy, TX	6,660	12 %
Alameda, CA	6,300	83 %

So, what does this mean?

• The Bay is back. Known as an innovation powerhouse, San Francisco leads the ranking with over 173,000 small businesses added, fueled by its deep-rooted tech culture, access to venture capital and highly skilled workforce. While neither San Francisco nor Alameda would have made the top 10 in 2024, both cities catapulted the Bay Area to this year’s leaderboard.
   
• Suburban markets are booming. Several smaller, suburban cities clinched a spot in the top 10, despite competing with well-known, large urban cities across the country. Frankfort, Ontario, Katy, and Alameda all emerged as new hotspots and challenge the idea of where entrepreneurship thrives.
   
• Wilmington is trending. There are 88 cities in the U.S. named Washington, and yet it’s two cities named Wilmington that made the top 10. Wilmington appears to be becoming a name synonymous with small business.
   
• Is California the new epicenter for small businesses? Despite its reputation for high costs, GoDaddy data shows multiple California cities are seeing significant entrepreneurial growth. With four cities on the list, California edges out other states with its increase in small business starts.

“Small businesses are vital in fueling growth across the country, but they don’t always get recognized for how much they punch above their weight,” said Gourav Pani, president, Independents at GoDaddy. “These rankings show new businesses emerging from every corner of the country, and entrepreneurs are proving they can succeed anywhere.”

You can find additional data on the 2025 Most Entrepreneurial Cities and read more about those ranked in the top 10 on GoDaddy’s website.

About the GoDaddy Small Business Research Lab
The GoDaddy Small Business Research Lab (formerly known as Venture Forward) analyzes more than 20 million online businesses with a digital presence, defined by a unique domain and active website. Most of these businesses employ fewer than ten people, classifying them as microbusinesses. Since 2018, the program has surveyed more than 50,000 entrepreneurs, making it a leading source of data and insights on microbusiness trends. To learn more, visit www.godaddy.com/ventureforward.

About GoDaddy
GoDaddy helps millions of entrepreneurs globally start and scale their businesses. People come to GoDaddy to name their idea, build a website and logo, sell their products and services, and accept payments. GoDaddy Airo™, the company’s AI-powered experience, makes growing a small business faster and easier by helping them to get their idea online in minutes, drive traffic and boost sales. GoDaddy’s expert guides are available 24/7 to provide assistance. To learn more about the company, visit www.GoDaddy.com.

Source: GoDaddy Inc.

Step into the lobby of T-Mobile’s Bellevue, Washington, headquarters on a spring day in April, and you might assume the buzz in the air was all business — until the barking began. The source? A pack of irresistibly adoptable pups wagging tails and melting hearts. Thanks to T-Mobile’s work with P.A.W.S. – Progressive Animal Awareness Society, employees on campus had the chance to take home new furry family members, with all 11 puppies adopted. It was undeniably one of the cutest ways to give back — but far from the only one. The event was part of T-Mobile’s third annual Magenta Giving Month, a companywide movement where employees across the country roll up their sleeves for causes that matter in the communities they call home.

Team Magenta has delivered heartwarming results through time, sweat equity and good old-fashioned generosity over the past couple of years. While 2023’s initial Magenta Giving Month efforts led to an impressive $2 million in donations, T-Mobile and its employees raised a whopping $2.6 million in 2024.

Now in its third year, Magenta Giving Month has reached a new high: more than 27,000 volunteer hours and $3.3 million donated to communities in need. With 875 pints of blood, thousands of STEM kits, and enough food packed to feed a small stadium, it’s safe to say T-Mobile’s Magenta magic is real.

“Every year, this moment is about more than just volunteering,” says Mike Katz, President of Marketing, Strategy and Products at T-Mobile, and this year’s Magenta Giving Month executive co-sponsor. “It’s about coming together as One Team, Together to make a real impact in our communities.”

Starting April 1, every T-Mobile employee receives a $30 donation credit from The T-Mobile Foundation. They can use it to support a nonprofit of their choice — whether it’s focused on education, healthcare, environmental conservation or another cause they care about. The Foundation’s mission is to make a difference by mobilizing the company’s brand, technology and people for social good — and Magenta Giving Month brings that mission to life in a big way.

Many employees went beyond donations by volunteering at events hosted coast to coast. Throughout April, T-Mobile campuses were alive with activity as employees teamed up with nonprofit partners like Boys & Girls Clubs of America, Food Lifeline, Harvesters and the American Red Cross. Whether they were packing STEM kits, sorting essentials for food-insecure families, or literally saving lives through blood drives, their impact reached far and wide.

Fighting Hunger Across the Country

Ben Burgess, Corporate Relations Manager for the Atlanta Community Food Bank, knows firsthand how crucial those efforts are.

“Roughly one in nine Georgians are food insecure, and one in six children in our 29-county service area,” Burgess says. “We’ve seen the need grow by almost 60% in the last three years. This year, we’re on pace to distribute over 125 million pounds of food to the over 700,000 people we serve.”

At T-Mobile’s Atlanta event alone, employee volunteers sorted nearly 17,000 pounds of food — enough to serve over 14,000 meals.

Meanwhile, at T-Mobile’s Overland Park, Kansas, headquarters, the rhythm of 10,000 sack lunches being packed for Harvesters echoed through the halls.

“The Give Lunch bags that T-Mobile is providing help tremendously,” says Paula Pratt, Director of Community Engagement for Harvesters. “Our organization serves 27 counties across Northeast Kansas and Northwest Missouri, with more than 900 partner agencies serving 226,000 people every month. Many of these are distributed through our Food+ Program, at libraries, bus stops, health-care facilities and other places people go to find help like pantries and summer feeding programs.”

Pratt points out that demand remains sky high with grocery prices still elevated, making the support more critical than ever.

And over near Bellevue, employees matched that hustle, sorting more than 11,000 pounds of food for Food Lifeline, a hunger relief organization serving 17 counties and nearly 300 meal programs across Western Washington.

“Since 2019, we’ve continued to see a rise in the number of clients we serve every year,” says Marisa Kent-Guerra, Corporate Relations Officer for Food Lifeline. “And with major budget cuts looming, our work is more vital than ever.”

Partnering with Boys & Girls Clubs for STEM Success 

Beyond food insecurity, T-Mobile employees also powered up the future by partnering with the Boys & Girls Clubs to build thousands of STEM kits across the country.

In Overland Park alone, employees packed 4,480 STEM kits, while Bellevue added another 4,200 kits. In Frisco, Texas, employees packed 2,240 kits, plus another 840 kits in Herndon, Virginia.

“This is the second year T-Mobile’s Kansas City employees have come together to help the kids we serve at our 11 clubs,” says Katie Onello, Resource Development Coordinator for the Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Kansas City (GKC). “Our goal for 2025 is to serve 5,200 kids by combatting learning loss over the summer and providing safe places outside of school.”

T-Mobile also provided each organization with cash as a result of the 2:1 match on volunteer hours. In April alone, the TMO Foundation provided $601K through volunteer-hour matching. That means for the Boys & Girls Clubs of GKC, the Un-carrier added almost $13K on top of the STEM kits.

In Washington, Jules Pollack, Director of Development for the Boys & Girls Clubs of Bellevue, says the impact is undeniable.

“These kits provide hands-on learning experiences that help kids build problem-solving skills and spark an interest in STEM careers. The energy during these events has been incredible.”

On the other side of the country, the Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Washington serves 24 clubhouses across D.C., Maryland and Virginia, where 100% of their youth graduate high school.

“T-Mobile generously covered the cost of the kits and materials and even reimbursed us for a U-Haul when we needed extra transportation!” says Jasmine Culver, Director of STEM at BGCGW.

Serving Up Good: Donating Blood, Planting Trees, and Scooping Froyo for a Cause 

And when it comes to life-saving efforts, T-Mobile once again joined forces with the American Red Cross, hosting 26 blood drives together and with seven other blood collection organizations.

“In the U.S., someone needs blood every two seconds,” says Mario Brown, National Partnerships Manager at the American Red Cross. “Last year, T-Mobile collected 454 units with us — potentially helping about 1,362 people.”

This year, T-Mobile collected 693 units of blood through its drives with the Red Cross, potentially saving up to 2,079 lives. When combined with other blood drive partners, the company helped collect 875 total units during Magenta Giving Month.

To add a sweet spin to giving back, T-Mobile leaders hosted “Froyo for Good” pop-ups in support of local organizations like Mary’s Place and Seattle Humane. And at events in four locations across the country, volunteers planted more than 150 trees as part of a partnership with The Arbor Day Foundation.

Magenta Giving Month made one thing clear: T-Mobile’s commitment to using its scale and resources for good — in communities big and small — continues by empowering employees to come together and make a difference.

Direct Relief is pleased to debut a new public service announcement featuring Emmy Award-winning actress, comedian, and long-time supporter Jane Lynch.

In the PSA, Lynch lends her signature voice and presence to spotlight Direct Relief’s mission: improving the health and lives of people affected by poverty, disaster, and emergency situations.

“Every day across the United States and around the world, Direct Relief is making an enormous difference,” Lynch said. “If someone needs help, Direct Relief helps – no politics, no red tape.”

Her involvement underscores the urgent need to support frontline health efforts across the globe.

A passionate advocate for humanitarian causes, Lynch has supported Direct Relief for years, helping raise awareness of the organization’s global impact. That impact is significant—in the past year alone, Direct Relief delivered more than $1.8 billion in medical aid to health facilities in over 90 countries and all 50 U.S. states, including:

• More than 330 million defined daily doses of essential medications
• Support for over 2,600 healthcare facilities and frontline organizations
• Rapid response efforts in the wake of hurricanes, wildfires, earthquakes, and global conflicts

“We’re incredibly grateful to Jane for using her platform to amplify this message,” said Amy Weaver, Chief Executive Officer. “Her voice helps shine a spotlight on the lifesaving work that happens every day—work that wouldn’t be possible without the support of donors and partners around the world.”

The PSA will run across digital platforms and select broadcast outlets starting this week.

The best way to celebrate Gopher Tortoise Day is to ensure there are more gopher tortoises across their natural range in the southeast United States. Founded in 2013, the Forestland Stewards Partnership between the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation (NFWF) and International Paper, funds a variety of forest and wildlife conservation projects across the southeast — including efforts to restore and conserve gopher tortoise populations and longleaf habitat.

Helping gopher tortoises to thrive isn’t just good news for tortoises; it also means good news for hundreds of other species that depend in big and small ways on the tortoise in its role as a keystone species.

They are called a ‘keystone species’ because more than 350 other animals — like owls, snakes, foxes, toads, skunks, and lizards — use gopher tortoise burrows to shelter from the heat, fires, and predators.
– Kurt Buhlmann, Senior Research Associate, University of Georgia’s Savannah River Ecology Laboratory

Gopher tortoises spend most of their lives in burrows that can be more than 20 feet long and eight feet deep.

Forestland Stewards Partnership grants are helping gopher tortoises and their habitat by supporting collaboration between The Longleaf Alliance, the University of Georgia’s Savannah River Ecology Laboratory, the South Carolina Department of Natural Resources, Eglin Air Force Base and many other partners. These organizations are helping to conserve gopher tortoises threatened by development by translocating, or moving, tortoises from planned development sites to protected habitat and augmenting and restoring gopher tortoise populations through a technique called “head-starting.”

In Florida, where relatively large numbers of adult tortoises remain compared to other states, partners have successfully translocated over 3,000 tortoises from planned development sites to Eglin Air Force Base and other sites, where restoration efforts have created suitable habitats in these protected properties.

In South Carolina, where adult tortoises are less abundant, about 350 eggs have been collected from wild populations to hatch in captivity. Hatchling tortoises are reared indoors for one year to achieve larger body sizes than would occur naturally and thus become more resistant to predation. This gives tortoises a greater chance to survive and eventually become subadults.

Head-starting increases survival

“Hatchling tortoises have naturally low survival in the wild. Raccoons, coyotes, and other predators often eat tortoise eggs and hatchlings, and mortality rates can be as high as 95%,” says Lisa Lord, Conservation Programs Director at The Longleaf Alliance. “The head-started juveniles are about a year old — but the size of wild 3-to-4-year-olds — when released back into well-managed longleaf pine habitat. The juveniles are released in a 1.5-acre pen to minimize wandering, help establish fidelity to the site, and increase their chances of staying in the area when the pen walls are removed.”

Gopher tortoise habitat covers the coastal plain from South Carolina through Florida to southeastern Louisiana, mostly in longleaf pine savanna habitats. The gopher tortoise is federally listed as threatened under the Endangered Species Act (ESA) in the western portion of its range (from Louisiana, east to the Mobile River in Alabama).

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service), the agency responsible for assessing the potential listing of species as threatened or endangered under the ESA, issued a decision in October 2022 announcing that the eastern population of the gopher tortoise (east of the Mobile and Tombigbee rivers in Alabama, Georgia, Florida, and South Carolina) did not warrant federal listing as threatened. The Service cited the collective work of federal agencies, state agencies, nongovernmental organizations, and private landowners to restore, maintain, and protect longleaf pine habitat, conserve existing tortoise populations and head-starting efforts like the one in South Carolina as contributing to their decision.

Hatchling tortoises have naturally low survival in the wild. Raccoons, coyotes, and other predators often eat tortoise eggs and hatchlings, and mortality rates can be as high as 95%
– Lisa Lord, Conservation Programs Director at The Longleaf Alliance

Private landowners help gopher tortoises by caring for longleaf pine habitats, including by using prescribed burning

Longleaf pine forests and savannas are fire-adapted, meaning they depend on periodic burning to thrive. They also make up one of North America’s most biodiverse forest ecosystems and are home to countless rare species, especially when they have open canopies and diverse ground cover. Longleaf pine once covered an estimated 90 million acres across the southeast but now covers only about 5.2 million acres. The diminished forest significantly contributes to the decline in gopher tortoise populations.

The decline in longleaf pine forests means the other critical piece supporting translocation and head-starting efforts is having enough restored longleaf habitat for the gopher tortoise to be released. More than 80% of potential tortoise habitat is privately owned, with the rest managed by local, state, federal, or conservation organizations.

“We have educational and cost-sharing programs to help landowners restore and conserve the longleaf pine ecosystem, which also helps gopher tortoises. A big focus is teaching landowners to use prescribed burning, which also maintains the ground cover that tortoises need to thrive,” Lord says.

The Longleaf Alliance’s Longleaf Academy Program prepares private landowners and natural resource professionals to manage, restore, and enhance longleaf pine ecosystems through techniques like prescribed fire. The Academy Program includes Fire and Longleaf 201, a three-day course that teaches people how to maintain their longleaf stands with fire.

Coming together for the gopher tortoise

Improving and sustaining gopher tortoise populations takes a multi-faceted approach — from restoring and maintaining longleaf habitat with prescribed fire to giving young tortoises a head-start in the wild. The efforts of partners like The Longleaf Alliance to rally public agencies, private organizations and landowners around this important work is critical to ensuring the gopher tortoise and the many other species that live in the longleaf pine ecosystem can thrive.

Learn more about our forest restoration and conservation efforts in our latest sustainability report.

About International Paper 
International Paper (NYSE: IP; LSE: IPC) is the global leader in sustainable packaging solutions. With company headquarters in Memphis, Tennessee, USA, and EMEA (Europe, Middle East and Africa) headquarters in London, UK, we employ more than 65,000 team members and serve customers around the world with operations in more than 30 countries. Together with our customers, we make the world safer and more productive, one sustainable packaging solution at a time. Net sales for 2024 were $18.6 billion. In 2025, International Paper acquired DS Smith creating an industry leader focused on the attractive and growing North American and EMEA regions. Additional information can be found by visiting internationalpaper.com

AMSTERDAM, HONG KONG, OAKLAND, Calif., May 19, 2025 /3BL/ – At the recent Cascale Forum: Ho Chi Minh City, over 600 manufacturers, leading brands, service providers, and supply chain partners – Cascale members and non-members alike – convened to address urgent challenges and opportunities in the consumer goods value chain. Topics spanned industry decarbonization, trade shifts, regulatory changes, facility improvements, responsible contracting, worker rights, and more. Discussions were especially critical for Vietnam-based apparel manufacturers, who may face impacts of higher U.S. tariffs when a 90-day pause on proposed 46-percent tariffs ends on July 8. A dedicated Vietnamese stage spotlighted local expertise and leadership, and the entire program was delivered bilingually to ensure full participation from Vietnamese stakeholders.

Colin Browne, Cascale CEO, opened the event by challenging brands and suppliers to work together to set Science-Based Targets (SBTs) for decarbonization. “Setting an SBT without close consultation with one’s supply chain is unacceptable and irresponsible given the near-term deadline of 2030,” he said. “But with the right actionable data and mutual support, there is hope.”

Vu Duc Giang, Chairman of the Vietnam Textile & Apparel Association (VITAS, a Cascale association partner), delivered the opening keynote address. “None of us can go alone – collaboration is the only way,” he said. “When brands, manufacturers, organizations and governments come together and share responsibility, any goal can be achieved.”

During the session “Navigating Global Policy: Impact on Sourcing Countries & Strategies,” Andrew Martin, Cascale executive vice president, said: “In EMEA and the Americas, manufacturers are navigating an evolving maze of often conflicting regulations. Yet in the Asia-Pacific region, regulation is fast becoming strategy — as we are increasingly seeing many countries stepping up with more progressive policies. To support this, Cascale advocates for clear, consistent guidance that manufacturers can actually use. We’re actively engaging across all three regions to push for global and regional frameworks that are practical, aligned, and grounded in manufacturers’ realities. The Cascale Forum in Ho Chi Minh City reminds us that while policy can shift and stall, manufacturers have a great opportunity to lead. Our ongoing mandate is to ensure that this progress isn’t slowed by uncertainty — but accelerated through collaboration.” With Worldly, Cascale recently released a new report, “Navigating Regulation and Building Resilience: Key Trends in Corporate Supply Chain Responsibility for APAC in 2025,” available in both Vietnamese and Chinese.

Vietnam-based manufacturers spoke up at the Cascale Better Buying: Creating Shared Value for Buyers & Suppliers to Drive Decent Work for All session, reporting fears that global brand customers will pressure them to shoulder the costs of tariff impacts. They also urged prioritization of worker protections in high-risk countries like Vietnam, where apparel production employs three million people. “Manufacturers are clear: Global brands should not use tariffs as an excuse to roll back on their responsible business commitments,” said Lindsay Wright, director of communications and strategic partnerships, Better Buying, Cascale. “If they do, the consumer goods industry will have to pick up the pieces later.”

Leonie Vaas, general manager – sustainability at Hirdaramani Apparel presented a case study during the session “From Factory Floor to Global Impact: How Manufacturers are Leading the Way.” With a manufacturing footprint that includes over 30 facilities across Asia and Africa — including Vietnam — Hirdaramani embeds ESG practices into operations across regions. “At Hirdaramani, our Future First Sustainability Roadmap is built on the belief that manufacturers can be powerful catalysts for real change,” she said. “By embedding sustainability into every part of our operations, from energy and water to employee well-being and community empowerment, we are not just meeting global standards – we are helping shape them. Aligned with global agendas such as the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), our Future First Roadmap is scalable across markets, collaborative, and impact-driven, enabling us to work closely with our partners. As an apparel manufacturer, we know that what we do matters, and delivering progress starts with taking responsibility.”

Matthew Guenther, vice president of corporate sustainability at TAL Apparel Ltd, which manufactures in Ethiopia, Thailand, and Vietnam, contributed to the session “Vietnam’s DPPA: Powering Decarbonization Opportunities” by sharing TAL’s perspective on the importance of renewable energy access for manufacturers. “Renewable electricity is a key intervention on our decarbonization roadmap,” he said. “Rooftop solar will only provide 20–25 percent of our renewable electricity needs. Access to offsite renewable electricity projects, such as that offered through Vietnam’s DPPA, would be a big unlock for our company to achieve our net-zero target.”

Adele Stafford, chief growth officer at Worldly, the leading platform for sustainability data and analytics in consumer goods supply chains, led the Worldly Product Roadmap – Data to Action session. As the Higg Index tools are owned and developed by Cascale and exclusively available on Worldly, the two organizations are tightly integrated, Stafford shared. “Cascale drives industry alignment and standards, while Worldly operationalizes those standards with scalable, dynamic technology,”she said. “Our shared mission is driving positive impact across the largest engaged supply chain network in the industry.” Stafford also reported growing momentum on the platform: Over 20,000 Higg Facility Environmental Modules (FEMs) have already been completed in 2025, with each supplier sharing data with an average of four brands, improving efficiency.

Presented by Lead Partner Worldly, the Cascale Forum: Ho Chi Minh City agenda was shaped by leaders from the Apparel Impact Institute (Aii), Crystal International, Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ), Hirdaramani Group, New Balance, Puma Group, and VITAS, who served on the event’s program advisory council. More information about programming, speakers, and sponsors can be found on the Cascale Forum: Ho Chi Minh City webpage.

Next up? The Cascale Annual Meeting 2025, taking place September 15-17 in Hong Kong. Visit the Cascale Annual Meeting 2025 webpage for more information and sponsorship opportunities.

ABOUT CASCALE

Cascale is the global nonprofit alliance empowering collaboration to drive equitable and restorative business practices in the consumer goods industry. Formerly known as the Sustainable Apparel Coalition, Cascale owns and develops the Higg Index, which is exclusively available on Worldly, the most comprehensive sustainability data and insights platform. Cascale unites over 300 retailers, brands, manufacturers, governments, academics, and NGO/nonprofit affiliates around the globe through one singular vision: To catalyze impact at scale and give back more than we take to the planet and its people.

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By Candace Higginbotham

It’s been a busy spring for Regions volunteers, with Share the Good, Financial Literacy Month and Autism Awareness Month.

Some teams decided to take it outside and celebrate another April event, Earth Week, by sprucing up parks, rivers, neighborhoods and other public spaces.

The Birmingham-based Regions Finance division took Earth Week literally – by getting their hands in the dirt. The team worked with community partner Friends of Avondale Park to install a new native plant garden and a natural erosion control bank that will improve the water quality of the park’s pond.

“We were looking for a way to give back to our local community and get outdoors during the beautiful spring season,” said Allyson Jansen, an analyst on the Financial Planning and Analysis team.

“Friends of Avondale Park was a perfect community partner for us—it’s a local organization doing meaningful work to preserve and improve one of Birmingham’s historic parks. When we learned about their ongoing efforts to combat erosion damage and restore the park with native plants, we saw a great opportunity to support a cause that impacts both the environment and our community.”

Around 25 associates spent the afternoon in the park, moving piles of topsoil and compost into two large newly tilled beds, which were then covered with mulch to prepare them for planting later in the fall. The hard work paid off and the team was thrilled with the result.

“It was inspiring to see how a few hours of teamwork could make such a visible impact,” Jansen said. “Projects like these help us step outside our daily roles and contribute to something bigger than ourselves. We look forward to continuing this kind of work in the future.”

It was inspiring to see how a few hours of teamwork could make such a visible impact.
Allyson Jansen, Analyst on Regions Financial Planning and Analysis team

According to John Forney, president of Friends of Avondale Park, their effort made a big impact.

“Friends of Avondale Park often requires help to address problems and opportunities across this 37-acre tract,” Forney said. “The Regions Finance crew were great fun to work with, eager and even competitive with each other. Their work will allow us to install native plants next fall, stabilizing the pond bank and the walk running along it. For a group of bankers, they were impressively able and willing to get their hands dirty!”

Another historic neighborhood, Edgehill, just south of downtown Nashville, got a spring facelift thanks to Regions.

Six associates, led by Jackob Murray, a Regions Small Business banker and marketplace co-chair for the Nashville Impact Network, participated in the Community Gardening Day at Edgehill Apartments. The team planted flowers, vegetables and shrubs and refreshed garden beds.

“The garden is one of the largest and oldest community gardens in Nashville,” Murray said. “A few residents came over to visit and help out. They thanked us for helping to get the garden ready for the season.”

Murray has a special connection to the Edgehill neighborhood and says the Nashville Impact Network will continue to support the community with various other events and activities.

Other Regions teams took to the water for their Earth Week activity. Whit Howell, part of the Wealth Management Strategic Execution team, worked with Cahaba Riverkeeper to lead a group of 13 Birmingham-based Wealth Management and Digital Banking associates for a clean-up project on the Cahaba River.

The team floated six miles in canoes and picked up more than 300 pounds of trash.

Those six miles of paddling made a big impact on the local community: The Cahaba River is the main drinking water source for around about one-fifth of all Alabamians and is a habitat for the iconic Cahaba lily.

“I’d heard about Cahaba River cleanups from other Regions associates and after reaching out to Cahaba Riverkeeper, it was a no-brainer to get some teammates together and get out on the water!” Howell said.

Though the team had fun and made a huge difference, he added that it was a bit disheartening to see so much trash left that they didn’t have the resources to gather. A good reason to come back next year!

Jonesboro, Arkansas, associates also took part in some spring cleaning – in their work neighborhood. Shelly Lamb, Private Wealth Management Trust Support administrator, led a team that took part in the Keep Jonesboro Beautiful campaign by picking up trash and debris near the local Regions branch.

Lamb is part of the Green Business Committee of the Jonesboro Regional Chamber of Commerce and is a longtime advocate for local conservation and beautification efforts. “Getting a group of coworkers together to pick up trash is a fun way to get lots of people involved in keeping our neighborhoods clean and beautiful.”

Lamb and other Jonesboro associates also participated in the Arkansas State University Earth Day celebration. The event hosted more than 200 elementary students from across northeast Arkansas who learned about protecting the environment, gardening basics and appreciating nature.

“I’m excited we had so much volunteer activity around Earth Day this year,” said Susan Clowdus, volunteer manager for the Regions Making Life Better Institute. “These associates made life better in these neighborhoods and communities by making them more beautiful!”

AUSTIN, Texas, May 19, 2025 /3BL/ – Whole Foods Market Foundation is excited to announce that 10 community-led nonprofit organizations in Newark, New Jersey have been awarded up to $20,000 each through the Newark Fresh, Healthy Food Access Grant.

In the nine years since the Foundation started the Whole Cities Newark Fresh, Healthy Food Access grant, over $1.4 million has been awarded to community-led organizations that are spearheading an increase in long-term access to fresh, healthy food across all five wards of Newark. In that time, the Newark community has developed innovative ways to reach more community members with fresh food access through approaches like community gardens, urban farms, farmers’ markets, healthy cooking classes, agricultural skills development programs, and more!

Since the grant’s inception in 2017, the goal has always been to provide Newark community leaders with the resources they need to drive — and sustain— long-term change. With the last year of formal funding in Newark, the Foundation will help support this transition through initiatives like Leadership and Business Developing Training, where partners can receive one-on-one grant writing, bookkeeping and business development mentoring from subject matter experts. The Foundation is inspired by the momentum of the Newark community to continue expanding access to healthy food and nutrition education.

“Whole Cities has been honored to support locally led organizations increasing access to healthy food across Newark for the past 9 years. During that time, I’ve been inspired to witness the collaborative spirit of so many leaders in this community, which not only fosters a healthy environment but also enables food access efforts to go further, faster,” said Dianna Purcell, Director of Programs at Whole Foods Market Foundation.

This year, the Foundation is awarding a total of $197,199 across the following ten Newark-based organizations that are committed to broadening long-term access to fresh, healthy food and nutrition education:

Al Munir, LLC, Apiary in the Sky, LLC, Clinton Hill Community Action, Giving One Tenth Community Garden, Green Garden Bunches, Ironbound Community Corporation, KIDS IN BUSINESS, INC., Lincoln Park Coast Cultural District, STEAM URBAN, and Urban Agriculture Cooperative.

The Newark Community Advisory Council has been instrumental in helping the Foundation evaluate grant applications for the Newark Fresh, Healthy Food Access grant. Their deep knowledge of their community is invaluable in identifying projects that will truly serve Newark’s communities. Having local leaders and community members guide these decisions ensures we’re directing resources where they’ll have the greatest impact – from expanding access to fresh food to supporting nutrition education. The council members have generously shared their time and expertise, and their guidance has been crucial in strengthening Newark’s food ecosystem.

“Partnering with Whole Cities has been a true pleasure to expand fresh food access in Newark,” said Sabrina Ross, a Newark Community Advisory Council member. “Their investment in our community has helped plant seeds of health, hope, and empowerment. Together, we are creating a stronger, more vibrant Newark where every family has the opportunity to thrive through access to fresh, healthy food.”

For more information on Whole Cities’ Newark Fresh, Healthy Food Access Grant program, including a list of past grant partners, visit wholecitiesfoundation.org/grants/newark-nj.

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ABOUT WHOLE FOODS MARKET FOUNDATION

Whole Foods Market Foundation works to nourish people and the planet by providing access to essential resources to improve nutrition and create opportunities for financial stability. The registered 501(c)(3) non-profit organization, based in Austin, Texas, encompasses the pillars of Whole Cities, Whole Kids and Whole Planet. For more information on the Foundation’s work, visit wholefoodsmarketfoundation.org. For ongoing news and updates, follow Whole Foods Market Foundation on Facebook, Instagram, or LinkedIn.

Media Contact:
Sandra Mariscal, Director of Philanthropy
Sandra.Mariscal@wholefoods.com

by Steve Hoffman of Compass Natural Marketing

The market for organic food and agriculture has grown significantly since the National Organic Program was first established in 2001, placing the USDA Certified Organic seal on products that qualify for this distinction. Today, it’s a $70-billion market that’s been growing an average of 8% per year. And while it may be maturing, younger consumers, including new parents and their babies, are eating it up. And now, in the post-pandemic era, investors are once again paying attention to the potential of organic and regenerative products and brands that take into account health and the environment, and how the way we produce our food and consumer products affects climate change.

A survey released recently by the Organic Trade Association (OTA), the industry’s leading trade group, found that organic’s benefits to personal health and nutrition are resonating deeply with Millennials and Gen Zer’s, making them the most committed organic consumers of any generation. Also, a February 2025 study by the Acosta Group, one of the nation’s top natural and organic products sales firms, reflected that 75% of all shoppers purchased at least one natural or organic product in the six months prior to the survey, with 59% responding that they think it’s important that their groceries and/or household products are natural and organic because they “are better for them” and “they tend to have fewer synthetic chemicals and additives.”

Natural and Organic Industry is a Force. Overall, the natural and organic products industry combined has more than tripled in size since 2007, growing from $97 billion in sales in 2007 to over $325 billion in 2024, according to data compiled by New Hope Network, SPINS (a division of Nielsen), Whipstitch Capital and others.

Read more investment insights in Steve’s article and watch a Video from the 2025 Expo West here– https://greenmoney.com/investing-in-the-earth-natural-organic-and-regenerative-food-and-ag-surges-in-popularity

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