Tag: 3BL

At Trane Technologies, innovation is at the heart of everything we do. As a global leader in climate solutions, we are committed to creating a sustainable future through groundbreaking technologies and forward-thinking strategies. We believe that by fostering a culture of innovation, we can drive meaningful change, set new standards in our industry and create growth.

How Baris Akcora helps drive electrification and sustainability 

Baris Akcora, Thermo King® Power Portfolio Leader, is a transformational leader at Trane Technologies and exemplifies our commitment to innovation and collaboration. Baris is on the product management team and responsible for the power solutions portfolio for Thermo King EMEA, which includes new products launched within the last year such as our high voltage battery systems, AxlePower, EnergE Pack and E-COOLPAC.

Traditionally, our Thermo King brand is known for making refrigeration units for the transportation sector but in this case, we are also creating power solutions. These high-voltage battery solutions are helping our customers with the electrification of their fleets, removing the diesel operation, so we can help make the transport sector more sustainable.

“Our solutions have quite a lot of edge compared to what others have in the market,” shared Baris. “We offer self-sufficient technologies like AxlePower that allow our customers to transition to electric without negatively impacting their day-to-day operations,” said Baris. “Our customers can simply transition into electrification, stop consuming fossil fuels and see the benefits from day one. So, that’s what I call innovation.”

Our latest product, AxlePower, is state-of-the-art technology that works by utilizing an electrical axle and a high-voltage battery pack with a Thermo King trailer refrigeration unit with or without a diesel engine for hybrid or full-electric operation. The electrical axle generates power to recharge the high voltage battery pack, and the battery pack powers the refrigeration unit.

When the vehicle is running on the road, we are continuously recovering energy that’s normally lost energy. This recovered energy is used to recharge the battery pack and extend its autonomy while helping customers run an electric operation, reducing their operational costs. The result is the most advanced energy recovery system that is currently in the transport refrigeration market.

“It’s a win-win for everyone in the ecosystem. You know, it’s financially a win for the customer since we are helping them to reduce their operating costs, but also for the environment and our sustainability goals as an enterprise,” shared Baris.

A journey of growth and alignment with company values

Baris’ journey at Trane Technologies is a testament to the forward-thinking culture we foster. He started his career 12 years ago in our Accelerated Development Program, an early career program for recent graduates that provides broad exposure to Trane Technologies’ operations and senior leadership. After Baris’ two-year rotation, he held positions that offered him product management and business development experience. He has been promoted multiple times from within as he continues to gain skills and contribute to our company’s growth.

“When people ask me why I stay at Trane Technologies, it’s the team here, it’s the people I’m working with on a daily basis. It’s having a positive mindset towards sustainability and achieving profitable growth together,” said Baris. “And the mission of the company [to boldly challenge what’s possible for a sustainable world], what we want to achieve as an enterprise is also aligned with my personal values as well.”

Through his work, Baris continues to make a direct contribution to our sustainability goals and the Gigaton Challenge, which is our commitment to help our customers reduce one billion metric tons of greenhouse gas emissions (CO2e) from their carbon footprints by 2030.

“We are daring to do things differently, and I really appreciate that,” Baris added. Reflecting on the company’s culture, he mentioned, “We are leading the industry in terms of innovation, developing new solutions that are more sustainable and future-proof.”

Join us in challenging what’s possible

Learn how every job can be a sustainability job at Trane Technologies.

By continuously pushing the envelope in the development of our products, Trane Technologies remains at the forefront of the HVACR industry, setting benchmarks for competitors to follow. Trane Technologies is a dynamic, innovative and globally-minded team dedicated to making a positive impact on the world.

Explore careers that challenge what’s possible for a more sustainable world.

RESTON, Va., April 29, 2025 /3BL/ – Leidos (NYSE: LDOS) is committing $10 million to accelerate the use of artificial intelligence for detecting and managing diseases, in collaboration with the University of Pittsburgh’s Computational Pathology and AI Center of Excellence (CPACE).

The initial focus of the five-year collaboration will be developing AI-powered tools for quicker detection of diseases, such as heart disease and cancer, reducing diagnostic turnaround times, and enabling earlier, more effective care management.

“Our investment is aimed at using the transformative power of artificial intelligence to speed detection, diagnosis and treatment of diseases that affect millions of people annually,” said Leidos CEO Tom Bell. “These efforts will also focus on developing future health care specialists, and expanding the care that’s available to underserved communities, including our veterans.”

For more than 25 years, Leidos has operated the National Cancer Institute’s Frederick National Laboratory for Cancer Research, supporting progress in the fight against cancer. The company also brings more than two decades of experience applying AI to important areas like health care, national security, and energy, and helps improve care for military families and veterans by strengthening delivery, access, and continuity of care.

Key objectives of the Leidos-University of Pittsburgh collaboration include:

• Establishing a World-Class Research Hub: University of Pittsburgh will enhance CPACE by continuing development of its state-of-the-art Digital Pathology Research Center. These facilities will drive pioneering research in digital pathology and AI-driven diagnostics.
• Developing Digital Health Care Solutions: Advancing AI-powered technologies will cement the University of Pittsburgh’s leadership in digital pathology and enable Leidos to develop innovative solutions designed to support digital health and diagnostics.
• Accelerating Global Impact: Leidos plans to leverage the collaboration to deploy AI-powered digital pathology solutions across public and private health care sectors with the goal of leading the commercialization of innovative healthcare technologies.

“The University of Pittsburgh’s leadership in research and innovation, coupled with the expertise in technology solutions offered by Leidos, establishes a path forward to delivering advancements in diagnosis, disease management and health care delivery,” said Anantha Shekhar, senior vice chancellor for the health sciences and John and Gertrude Petersen Dean, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine.

Through this multi-year collaboration, Leidos and the University of Pittsburgh will drive advances in several critical areas:

• Research & Technology Development: Joint research projects will explore new imaging methods, advanced scanning technologies to analyze tissue samples, and improved techniques for analyzing medical images with precision.
• Workforce Development & Education: The initiative will cultivate the next generation of health care and AI innovators through comprehensive educational programs, including industry-focused best practices, annual symposiums, and hands-on internship opportunities where students will collaborate directly with Leidos experts.

“We want these tools to impact as many people as possible globally. Leidos can help get them into many more hands, ensuring that they are validated properly and get through the right regulatory frameworks,” said Hooman Rashidi, executive director of CPACE and associate dean of AI in medicine at the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine.

By merging academic excellence with technological innovation, the collaboration is poised to redefine the future of health care delivery and disease management.

“This relationship with Leidos serves as a catalyst to expedite our mission. Industry partnership will help broaden the impact of Pitt’s innovation,” said Liron Pantanowitz, Dr. Maud L. Menten Professor and chair of the Department of Pathology at the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine.

About Leidos

Leidos is an industry and technology leader serving government and commercial customers with smarter, more efficient digital and mission innovations. Headquartered in Reston, Virginia, with 48,000 global employees, Leidos reported annual revenues of approximately $16.7 billion for the fiscal year ended January 3, 2025. For more information, visit www.leidos.com.

About University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine

As one of the nation’s leading academic centers for biomedical research, the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine integrates advanced technology with basic science across a broad range of disciplines in a continuous quest to harness the power of new knowledge and improve the human condition.

Written by Nate Tibbits

Over the last few decades, we have witnessed an incredible technological revolution. The way we interact with each other and the world around us has been transformed by groundbreaking advances in wireless communications, improving the quality of people’s lives. In less than a generation’s time, the mobile phone has gone from a device designed primarily for making voice calls, to a ubiquitously connected computer that fits in the palm of your hand. And through its relentless pursuit of innovation, Qualcomm has played an indispensable role in driving many of the monumental changes we have seen in wireless technology since the dawn of the mobile era.

On Wednesday, we kicked off the celebration of our 40th anniversary with a special event at the Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History in Washington, D.C. This celebration, led by Qualcomm Incorporated President and CEO Cristiano Amon, took place in the rotunda below the “Cellphone: Unseen Connections” exhibit, which showcases the profound impact of mobile technology on our world. It was a proud evening where we reflected on our achievements and shared the remarkable journey that has brought us to this milestone.

“What is unique about this company is it’s a company that’s been founded on a deep commitment to R&D and technology, and trying to solve some of the world’s biggest problems,” said Amon, who went on to recount how our foundations in cellular technology have expanded and evolved into us enabling intelligent computing beyond mobile phones to areas such as automotive, computers, Internet of Things (IoT) and AI. “We could not be more excited about the roadmap for technology and the potential for companies in America to continue to innovate and continue to drive this innovation economy, at the same time transforming the world through our history.”

Since our founding in 1985, Qualcomm has played a central role in furthering American technology leadership on the world stage. To date, we have invested over $100 billion in R&D, representing nearly 20% of our annual revenue. That extraordinary investment in innovation is what has allowed Qualcomm to truly move the wireless industry forward: first through successfully enabling the mobile phone to scale into the hands of everyday consumers, then by integrating essential functions into the mobile phone — such as GPS and location services for public safety, plus various consumer electronic features like your music player and camera — and finally by transforming the mobile phone into a bona fide mobile computer.

Leveraging a legacy of breakthroughs

Qualcomm’s journey began in 1985 with a team of visionary engineers that defied convention with their groundbreaking work in CDMA, a radio transmission technology that set the stage for the mobile revolution. That breakthrough laid the groundwork for 4G — which truly brought the internet to the smartphone — and then 5G, which led to everything from lightning-fast streaming to 4K-quality video chats.

But more recently, our work has extended beyond just radio technology. Over the last several years, we have expanded in a number of areas, from our powerful and energy-efficient Snapdragon platforms that drive innovation in smartphones, PCs, cars and XR, to our new Qualcomm Dragonwing platforms, which are enabling the digital transformation of industrial and embedded IoT.

And as we look to the future, we know that AI is changing everything — from smarter, more personalized and responsive AI agents, to devices powerful enough to handle AI tasks themselves. Once again, we’re pushing the boundaries of what technology can do, with an eye toward changing the way we interact with each other, and the way in which we interact with the devices that connect us all.

Our solutions are transforming not just personal devices, but entire industries — from automotive to energy, and retail to manufacturing. To that end, at our 40th anniversary celebration, we were delighted to showcase some of the exciting new technological innovations that we have recently been driving. These demos included a Copilot+ laptop powered by our Snapdragon X Elite processor, which illustrated how an AI-enhanced digital assistant can save you hours of productivity by proactively helping you with daily tasks. Ray-Ban Meta glasses were on hand to show off how XR can serve as a new interface for AI, with built-in cameras and multimodal AI giving your digital assistant the ability to “see” what you see. Guests, meanwhile, were entertained by a DJ leveraging AI to mix music for the event.

These incredible demos of our technology, alongside others that highlighted the location-tracking Qualcomm Aware solution and Snapdragon Digital Chassis for the cars of tomorrow, represent just the beginning of the AI revolution. They also offered an exciting glimpse into the kinds of innovations we have in store for the next 40 years and beyond — innovations that will help uphold American technology leadership for decades to come by continuing to bring intelligent computing everywhere.

Engineering Human Progress: Learn more about Qualcomm

Breakthrough innovation: Discover Qualcomm Research

April 29, 2025 /3BL/ – David Grant, Senior Director: Global Climate & Water Solutions at PepsiCo

Connect with David on LinkedIn

Welcome to the BIER Member Spotlight series, highlighting the individual leaders driving sustainability and innovation within BIER member companies and stakeholder organizations.

As BIER enters its 19th year, the Beverage Industry Environmental Roundtable continues to build on nearly two decades of industry collaboration and impact. In 2025, we are proud to be led by Chair Nicolas Clerget and Co-Chair David Grant, whose leadership will guide BIER’s collective efforts in advancing environmental stewardship across the beverage sector.

Join us for this insightful interview, where David, BIER’s 2025 Co-Chair, shares his experience, perspectives, and vision for the year ahead.

Briefly describe your role and responsibilities, and how long you have worked with your company.

I joined PepsiCo in 2020 as Global Water Stewardship Director, overseeing the company’s water strategy—including internal water use efficiency, replenishment, Alliance for Water Stewardship (AWS) certification, and water risk assessments. In December 2023, my role evolved, and I now lead the Climate & Water Solutions Team. We focus on identifying and scaling innovative technologies to reduce the cost of climate tactics and advance PepsiCo’s sustainability strategy. On the water side, our work now centers on watershed health—supporting both operations and agriculture.

What inspired you to take on the role of BIER Chair and Co-Chair? What aspects of the role do you find most compelling?

I’ve long believed in the power of the collective—and in not reinventing the wheel. BIER exemplifies both: it brings together the beverage industry’s collective expertise to create shared value. Having engaged with BIER over the years, I’m motivated to contribute however I can to accelerate sustainable progress across the industry. It’s a privilege to be part of a group that drives impact through collaboration and shared learning.

Reflecting on 2024 and looking ahead to 2025, what BIER initiatives stand out as most impactful or inspiring?

We’re operating in a time of unprecedented urgency. With the planet’s condition worsening and the window for action narrowing, BIER must remain agile and focused—keeping pace with developments in science, regulation, and technology. I believe our current priorities reflect this urgency well, and I continue to be inspired by the commitment and expertise of our members.

One area I find especially compelling is nature and biodiversity. Like climate, it’s broad and deeply interconnected with other sustainability areas, yet highly nuanced at the local level. I’m excited to see how this workstream evolves, especially as it integrates both internal and external expertise.

As BIER enters its 19th year, what personal quality do you bring to your leadership that will help advance its impact?

With more than 20 years in the food and beverage industry, I’ve learned that sustainability is not linear—it’s interconnected. I bring a holistic mindset to this role, helping to identify where BIER’s various workstreams can align and support one another. That integrated perspective will help us prioritize effectively while staying adaptable as new challenges and opportunities arise.

If you had one superpower to radically accelerate sustainable practices, what would it be?

I’m going to cheat and choose two:

The Power of Collective Clarity – a form of telepathy that brings common sense and shared purpose to decision-making. It would unite individuals, companies, and governments around a clear path forward—one rooted in strategic, collaborative action.

The Ability to Break Through Complexity – a kind of super-intelligence that simplifies the intricate systems we work within. It would help surface practical solutions and enable us to scale them faster.

Thursday, May 8, 2025

1–2 PM ET | 12 CT | 11 MT | 10 PT

As the former co-anchor of NBC News’ Today, Hoda Kotb became a staple in American homes, bringing her warmth, wit, and relatability to viewers daily for 17 years.

Hoda’s impressive career earned numerous prestigious accolades, including Emmy Awards, and a Peabody Award, a reflection of her journalistic excellence and impact.

Hoda’s powerful storytelling extends beyond television, with bestselling books that explore overcoming adversity and finding purpose, making her a compelling voice on personal transformation.

Brimming with her signature enthusiasm and sincere charm, Hoda Kotb will lead this special collaboration of PNC The Thread and PNC Women In Business Week.

Speaker

Hoda Kotb

Former co-anchor, NBC News’ TODAY

Hoda Kotb has claimed her role as one of America’s foremost journalists, authors, and entertainers. Best known as the former co-anchor of NBC News’ TODAY and co-host of TODAY with Hoda & Jenna, she also hosts the popular podcast, Making Space with Hoda Kotb.

Kotb joined TODAY in 2008 as co-host of its fourth hour alongside Kathie Lee Gifford and recently departed after 17 successful years. Since joining NBC News in 1998, Kotb has served as a correspondent for Dateline NBC, covering a wide range of domestic and international stories across NBC News platforms, including the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina, the war in Iraq, the conflict in the West Bank and Gaza, and the War on Terror in Afghanistan. She was part of NBC’s extensive Olympic coverage from 2008 in Beijing through the 2024 Summer Olympics in Paris.

A New York Times bestselling author, Kotb has written eight books, including You Are My Happy, I’ve Loved You Since Forever, and Hoda: How I Survived War Zones, Bad Hair, Cancer and Kathie Lee. Her ninth book, Jump and Find Joy, will be released on September 23, 2025.

Her work has earned numerous accolades, including a 2019 Emmy for Outstanding Informative Talk Show Host, multiple Daytime Emmys as part of TODAY, a 2022 induction into the Broadcasting & Cable Hall of Fame, and several Gracie Awards, among others.

A graduate of Virginia Tech University with a BA in broadcast journalism, she resides in the suburbs of New York City with her two daughters, Haley Joy and Hope Catherine.

Register Here

Originally published on Aflac Newsroom

This time of year often comes with to-do lists that seem like they are a mile long, with items like spring cleaning, gardening, planning for graduations, and prepping for the summer often at the top. But what about your wellness screenings — have you completed those yet?

If not, you’re not alone. In fact, 9 in 10 Americans admitted to putting off health checkups that could help save their lives, according to the 2025 Aflac Wellness Matters Survey.

Aflac’s Tom Morey, senior vice president and chief actuary in the U.S., and Tricia Griggs, RN-BSN and manager, employee wellness, recently sat down to talk about Tom’s personal health story and what he and Tricia recommend for keeping your wellness at top of mind.

What does “wellness” mean to you?

Tom: For me, the topic of wellness is deeply personal. In my early 20s, I went from being at the prime of my life — enjoying time on the basketball court and looking forward to grad school — to being in and out of hospitals, dealing with persistent flu-like symptoms and unexplained bruising. Out of the blue, it progressed to the point where I had my spleen removed. It seemed like it all happened so fast. But because I listened to that nagging feeling, I was able to get the care I needed. Wellness, to me, means listening to your body’s cues and taking action when you need to. And it means scheduling for your health even when you are feeling great. Until that one day, I was symptom-free.

Tricia: Tom’s story is a powerful reminder that even among the demands of daily life, maintaining our wellness is critical. And wellness is rarely just one component — we like to look at it as having five dimensions: In addition to physical, we also consider the emotional, financial, social and spiritual aspects of wellness.

What do you do to stay on top of your wellness?

Tom: Fortunately, my story took a positive turn: I recovered and have been able to pursue a career as an actuary, a numbers guy who relies heavily on statistics in my daily work. Looking at the findings from the 2025 Aflac Wellness Matters Survey, I see that I’m like the 65% of Americans who said that experiencing a health scare is what made them realize they need to be more proactive about their health — it’s certainly something that reinforced the importance of preventive care for me, and it’s something that I commit to each year.

Tricia: I couldn’t agree more! What I consider to be one of the best ways of preserving wellness is getting your preventive screenings, because of the way the human body is, you don’t always see or feel a potential problem. Going to your annual wellness exam, knowing your biometrics and staying on top of screenings like mammograms, colonoscopies, etc., are key elements of your health. Just as you may commit to a nutrition plan or exercise routine, you should also commit to getting regular checkups.

But I feel fine. Why do I need to see a doctor every year?

Tom: I get it. You feel healthy, or maybe you can’t find time to step away from your daily responsibilities, or perhaps you feel a bit embarrassed or afraid of bad news — again, it isn’t just you. According to our survey, 94% of Americans face similar barriers. But much like investing, the sooner you start, the more positive results you’ll see in the long run.

Tricia: I always tell family, friends and colleagues: Just go to the doctor. If you’re perfectly healthy, great — then you won’t have to go back until your next recommended screening. Plus, you’ll have a baseline for what your wellness looks like in this point in time.

Ok, but where do I start?

Tom: I would start with your primary care physician. A lot of Americans — nearly 1 in 5 — don’t have a regular physician who knows them and their medical history, and 41% of Americans use urgent care or the emergency room for their medical needs.¹ If that’s you, it makes sense to me to find a physician in your area who you feel comfortable with and see them regularly. And, whether something concerning comes up or you simply want to find additional health resources, they’ll be able to give you relevant advice based on your health history.

Tricia: Emergency rooms and urgent care are important parts of the health care ecosystem, but nothing replaces a longstanding relationship with your physician. And if you’re having a difficult time finding one, check with your employer — some offer on-site clinics that can help employees get started on their wellness journey. The important thing is to just get conversations started and appointments on the calendar.

Want to learn more about findings from the 2025 Aflac Wellness Matters Survey? Visit Aflac.com/Wellness-Matters for tips to improve your health, access social media content and to read the full 2025 Wellness Matters Survey.

¹2025 Wellness Matters Survey

About the study: The 2025 Wellness Matters Survey was conducted among a nationally representative sample of 2,000 employed U.S. adults ages 18-65 in April 2024 by Kantar Profiles on behalf of Aflac.

The results from the 2025 Wellness Matters Survey are intended for informational purposes only. Aflac’s family of insurers American Family Life Assurance Company of Columbus and/or American Family Life Assurance Company of New York, and/or Continental American Insurance Company (CAIC) and/or Continental American Life Insurance Company. WWHQ | 1932 Wynnton Road | Columbus, GA 31999

Z2500262 EXP 4/26

As a leader in sports and live entertainment, AEG has been on a mission since 2008 to minimize its environmental impact across its music, sports, ticketing, and real estate portfolios, embedding sustainability into the core of its business operations. Since then, the company has been recognized as an industry trailblazer in the introduction and implementation of sustainable practices focused on reducing its carbon footprint, waste consumption and water usage.

With a mission of inspiring others to affect change, this Earth Month, Erik Distler, AEG’s Vice President of Sustainability, convened and participated in numerous panel sessions aimed at facilitating insightful and productive conversations about the state of sustainability in sports and live entertainment.

On April 23, 2025, he hosted and moderated the fourth annual AEG Sustainability Insights Panel. The session brought together influential leaders who are shaping the future through action-driven sustainability efforts — experts in sustainability, climate change, and policy — and drove attention to the pressing issues facing the sports and live entertainment industry as it works to build scalable sustainability practices. Panelists shared their insights on how sports and live entertainment can continue to lead in sustainability while inspiring others to act.

Members of the panel included:

• Maggie Baird, Founder, Support+Feed — Mother of Grammy Award-winning artists Billie Eilish and Finneas, Support+Feed is committed to mitigating climate change and increasing food security by driving global demand, acceptance, and accessibility of plant-based food.
• Becky Dale, VP, Sustainability, LA28 Olympic & Paralympic Games – As LA28, the organizing committee for the 2028 Olympic and Paralympic Games in Los Angeles, approaches the challenge of navigating the complexities of bringing the Games of Los Angels and Southern California, Dale is helping to ensure they bring a broad coalition of stakeholders together to ensure they deliver lasting equitable benefits.
• Mary Micevych Jerome, VP, Partnerships and Strategic Initiatives, United Nations Foundation — Micevych Jerome leads the Foundation-wide strategy for revenue growth and philanthropic engagement. Mary’s prior experience includes managing the first hip hop shows at Carnegie Hall in partnership with Jay Z and the Shawn Carter Scholarship Foundation within her role at the United Way of New York City.
• Claire O’Neill, Co-Founder & CEO, A Greener Future – O’Neill is a renowned figure and leading voice for sustainability and live events and entertainment industry. She established A Greener Future in 2005 and has worked with numerous world-leading events, venues and artists including Massive Attack, The 1975, American Express Presents BST Hyde Park, The O2, HM the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee Pageant, and HM the Queen’s Funeral, among others.

To promote best practices and the enormous potential of creative industries to act as a catalyst for change, on April 8, Distler spoke at Climate Week Los Angeles, where organizations, policy makers, companies and innovators from across Los Angles convened to discuss climate change solutions. Distler participated in a panel, Creative Forces for Change: Workforce Development in the Green Transition, which explored the critical role of workforce development in driving sustainability within the $7 trillion global green economy—particularly across the arts and culture sector — and how the city’s creative industries are helping to shape a more sustainable future for all.

Additionally, on April 15, Distler participated in the Music Sustainability Alliance’s 2025 Summit, which looked to empower the music business and artists to leverage their platform to tackle the climate crisis. Distler joined the panel session, Waste Not, Play On: Tackling the Trash Problem, to discuss the live music industry’s reliance on single-use materials and the urgent need to reduce waste. The panel session explored the scale of the problem, debunked common myths, and offered practical solutions to help create a more sustainable future for live events.

To learn more about AEG’s sustainability activities, click here.

Published by Action Against Hunger.

NEW YORK, April 29, 2025 /3BL/ – More than half of Haiti’s population—approximately 5.7 million people—are facing high levels of acute food insecurity according to the latest Integrated Food Security Phase Classification (IPC) analysis. The deterioration of the situation over the last months is driven by relentless gang violence and ongoing economic collapse. For Action Against Hunger, humanitarian assistance remains essential, and recovery efforts are urgently needed to stem the decline in food and nutritional security in the country.

Out of the 5.7 million people facing high levels of acute food insecurity—the highest number in recent years—over 8,400 people living in displacement camps are experiencing catastrophic hunger in IPC Phase 5 (Catastrophe). An additional 2.1 million people, representing 19 percent of the analyzed population, are in IPC Phase 4 (Emergency), facing critical food insecurity, while 3.6 million people (32 percent) are classified in IPC Phase 3 (Crisis).

“An upsurge in violence in the metropolitan area, the West, and the department of Artibonite continues to intensify population displacement and vulnerability, particularly in the Port-au-Prince metropolitan area” explains Martine Villeneuve. According to figures from the International Organization for Migration (IOM), around 1.04 million people were internally displaced in December 2024—an increase of 48 percent compared to June 2024.

In addition to forcing households into mass displacement, the violence continues to cause the loss of income opportunities in both informal and formal sectors, while also disrupting supply chains. Households’ access to food has been further constrained by rising commodity prices and an inflation rate of 30 percent in February 2025.

Moreover, a large number of emergency food aid and population support projects were suspended in the first quarter of 2025 due to a lack of funding. Between August 2024 and February 2025, nearly 977,000 Haitians received humanitarian food assistance on a monthly basis. “Despite the challenges of safety and access issues, humanitarian assistance has been crucial in preventing further deterioration of the situation. This is particularly the case among urban and displaced populations with no access to livelihood opportunities due to insecurity,” says Martine Villeneuve. “However, since March 2025, funding has no longer been guaranteed at a time when half of the population is suffering from hunger.”

Haiti’s economy is characterized by extreme poverty, high levels of informal employment, and vulnerability to natural disasters. Political instability and violence further hamper development. A significant portion of the population lives below the poverty line and relies on subsistence farming.

In 2024, Action Against Hunger delivered multi-sectoral programming in the North-West, North-East, South, and Artibonite departments that reached over 170,000 individuals. Action Against Hunger is focusing its 2025 interventions on Internally Displaced Persons sites and violence-affected areas in Port-au-Prince and northern Artibonite especially with integrated health and nutrition services, including mobile clinics that treat acute malnutrition where nutrition services are scarce. Action Against Hunger requests all parties to preserve humanitarian space and ensure access in Haiti in accordance with international humanitarian law for life savings activities to be carried out.

***

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.

Eastman

Katherine Hofmann’s Eastman career didn’t happen by accident. The polymer scientist has a passion for sustainability and the environment. You could even say it’s in her genes.

“My mom worked for the Environmental Protection Agency, and we reused and recycled everything. I got in trouble if I threw away my Ziplocs® at school lunch,” Hofmann said. “Though none of this was called sustainability back in the day, it became core to who I am and my own values.” 

Hofmann works on sustainability initiatives for the Eastman plastics division and its circular economy platform. She also works on special projects, including a conference in late 2024 that showed how Eastman integrates sustainability and innovation.

Cutting waste and emissions

For Eastman’s Global Innovation Summit (GIS), employees from throughout the United States, Europe, Asia and South America traveled to Kingsport, Tennessee. The opportunity for more than 1,000 people to share ideas was invaluable, but travel and resources for a weeklong conference had an impact.

“Because large conferences involve so many people, there tends to be significant material and food waste and unavoidable greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from the travel, especially air travel,” Hofmann said. “We were determined to make this summit different.”

Hofmann led a team focused on sustainability and waste issues so that the event could be net positive for waste and emissions. They knew planning could significantly reduce material and food waste. They also developed a plan to arrive at a net-positive result for GHG emissions and water consumption. To compensate for unavoidable water use, Eastman partnered with the nonprofit Bonneville Environmental Foundation (BEF) on restoration of water flow to the San Saba River in Texas. BEF works with companies — including brands such as Danone and the National Hockey League — on water restoration and preservation projects to compensate for their water use.

Eastman’s climate strategy is built on foundational areas like renewable electricity, energy efficiency and breakthrough technologies, with a reduce-first mindset.

Compensating for unavoidable carbon emissions

In alignment with the company’s corporate decarbonization strategies, Eastman purchased renewable energy certificates (RECs) for all conference activities at the convention center. Emissions were further reduced through carpooling, shuttle buses for off-campus events and a menu that excluded beef.

Still, studies show that approximately 90% of emissions at large conferences come from travel, especially air travel. So the Eastman net-positive team compensated by partnering with a company that safely destroys gases that are devastating to the ozone layer.

Tradewater: a carbon compensation partner

Eastman worked with Tradewater, a company renowned for reducing GHG emissions. Eastman calculated the emissions associated with the conference, then Tradewater destroyed more than an equivalent amount of GHGs in the form of refrigerant gases such as chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs) and hydrochlorofluorocarbons.

Tradewater collects old cylinders of these gases and safely incinerates them.

“Through our work with Tradewater, we were able to overcompensate for calculated GIS emissions so we can be sure it’s a net positive in terms of carbon footprint,” Hofmann said. “It’s an exciting partnership from a sustainability perspective. Harmful gases that would have leaked into the atmosphere will instead be safely destroyed because the GIS team found an innovative solution in partnering with Tradewater.”

A plan to reduce waste

Eastman collaborated with Reduction in Motion, a sustainability consultant, on ways to reduce waste. By creating a conference app and using digital signs, printed materials were negligible. Reusable coffee cups and water bottles — instead of single-use items — were everywhere.

Material waste was sorted by Eastman volunteers, so anything that could be recycled was recycled, including cardboard, aluminum and glass. Plastic waste was sent for recycling in Eastman’s nearby molecular recycling facility. The relatively small amount of food waste was sent to an industrial composting facility 20 minutes away in Johnson City, Tennessee.

At the end of the conference, almost 93% of all waste was diverted from landfill. At a conference this size, studies show the average participant generates 4.2 pounds of material waste. Through advanced planning and efforts of attendees, GIS participants generated on average 1.4 pounds of material waste per person.

At Griffith Foods, better nutrition starts with better understanding. During National Nutrition Month®, we proudly celebrated our teams who prioritize creating flavorful, nutritious, and sustainable solutions to meet evolving customer needs.

By the end of 2025, 100% of our employees will complete NutritionIQ, a science-based program designed to strengthen our expertise in nutrition. By deepening our knowledge through initiatives like NutritionIQ and aligning with our 2030 Aspirations, we’re fostering a culture of health and nutrition while developing nutrient-dense offerings for the future of food.

Learn more about how we are Creating Better Together at https://griffithfoods.com/sustainability/health-nutrition/

Jackie Schulz, MS, RDN

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