Tag: 3BL

CINCINNATI, March 31, 2025 /3BL/ – Nearly 50 small businesses across the U.S. have been awarded $5,300 grants from the Fifth Third Small Business Catalyst Fund to broaden financial access and help drive future growth.

The Small Business Catalyst Fund empowers small businesses across Fifth Third’s 11-state footprint to grow and create jobs in their communities and to build a more equitable small business ecosystem. The grants are the first awards from the $7.85 million fund, which Fifth Third (NASDAQ: FITB) launched last fall in partnership with the Community Reinvestment Fund, USA (CRF).

“At Fifth Third, we are committed to increasing financial access and mobility in all of the communities we serve,” said Kala Gibson, chief corporate responsibility officer for Fifth Third. “These inaugural grants from our Small Business Catalyst Fund will help locally-owned businesses across our footprint continue to grow and thrive. Small businesses form the foundation of our communities – and when they succeed, we all succeed.”

The Small Business Catalyst Fund helps small and micro business owners obtain working capital when traditional lending is not an option by connecting them with potential capital options offered by trusted Community Development Financial Institutions (CDFIs). The program utilizes an innovative funding model that combines grants, micro loans and small business loans ranging from $5,000 to $750,000 to small businesses at various stages of maturity.

“Small businesses are essential to the success and vibrancy of communities across the country, yet many face significant challenges in securing the financing they need to grow,” said Alexis Dishman, SVP & Chief Lending Officer for CRF. “In collaboration with Fifth Third Bank and our CDFI partners, CRF aims to expand financial opportunities and accelerate small business momentum through the creation of this innovative fund.”

Grant recipients include The Country Meat Co. Marketplace in Cincinnati’s Avondale neighborhood. Locally-owned and operated, The Country Meat Co. Marketplace became the Avondale community’s first grocery store in 17 years when it opened in February.

“Fifth Third’s support will help ease food related financial strain for members of the Avondale community as well as providing access to nutritional education and essential support,” said co-owner Tennel Bryant.

The Small Business Catalyst Fund is funded by the Fifth Third Foundation, the Fifth Third Bank Community Development Corporation, and Rockefeller Philanthropy Advisors. CRF administers the fund’s grants and small business loans and works alongside two regional CDFI microlending partners who focus on microloans and technical assistance: Ohio-based Economic & Community Development Institute (ECDI), and New York-based Ascendus.

Fifth Third has a proven track record of prioritizing financial access and community development through its Neighborhood Program, which creates and implements innovative place-based strategies to effect positive change in nine historically disinvested neighborhoods across the Bank’s 11-state footprint. Fifth Third launched its neighborhood program in 2021, taking a place-based approach to community development where the Bank works with a lead partner organization and other local organizations to build ecosystems that drive real change through both financial and social investments. This collective ecosystem approach is focused on identifying solutions to key challenges in partnership with the community, with the goal of creating lasting, transformative change.

A full list of grant recipients and more information is available at www.SmallBusinessCatalystFund.com.

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About the Fifth Third Foundation

Established in 1948, the Fifth Third Foundation was one of the first charitable foundations created by a financial institution. The Fifth Third Foundation supports worthy causes in the areas of health and human services, education, community development and the arts in the states where Fifth Third Bank operates.

About Fifth Third

Fifth Third is a bank that’s as long on innovation as it is on history. Since 1858, we’ve been helping individuals, families, businesses and communities grow through smart financial services that improve lives. Our list of firsts is extensive, and it’s one that continues to expand as we explore the intersection of tech-driven innovation, dedicated people and focused community impact. Fifth Third is one of the few U.S.-based banks to have been named among Ethisphere’s World’s Most Ethical Companies^® for several years. With a commitment to taking care of our customers, employees, communities and shareholders, our goal is not only to be the nation’s highest performing regional bank, but to be the bank people most value and trust.

Fifth Third Bank, National Association is a federally chartered institution. Fifth Third Bancorp is the indirect parent company of Fifth Third Bank and its common stock is traded on the NASDAQ^® Global Select Market under the symbol “FITB.” Investor information and press releases can be viewed at www.53.com. Deposit and credit products provided by Fifth Third Bank, National Association. Member FDIC.

About Community Reinvestment Fund, USA

Founded in 1988, Community Reinvestment Fund, USA (CRF) is a national non-profit organization with a mission to improve lives and strengthen communities through innovative financial solutions. CRF has injected more than $3.6 billion to stimulate job creation, economic development, and support community facilities. To learn more about CRF, visit www.crfusa.com.

CONTACT         

Amanda Nageleisen (Media Relations)
amanda.nageleisen@53.com
Matt Curoe (Investor Relations)
matt.curoe@53.com | 513-534-2345

Giving back to society is more than just a commitment at MilliporeSigma, the U.S. and Canada Life Science business of Merck KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany—it’s a core part of the company’s culture. In 2024, MilliporeSigma’s employee volunteer program, SPARK™, empowered employees to make a meaningful impact in communities worldwide. Through both skills-based and general volunteer efforts, more than 4,100 employees across 29 countries dedicated over 29,900 hours to sparking curiosity in more than 108,700 students.

As the demand for experts in the rapidly expanding STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) fields continues to rise, the Curiosity Labs™ program plays a vital role in bridging this gap. In 2024, the program introduced two new lessons (Green Chemistry and Designing Dyes) to a record 15,297 students with the support of 792 dedicated volunteers. With 10 lessons in the program library, the company plans to announce an additional lesson for 2025 in April.

In addition to supporting STEM education, SPARK™ encourages employees to engage in other impactful initiatives that strengthen their local communities. One of the most successful efforts in 2024 was the annual Global Food Drive, where employees from 61 sites across 21 countries united to fight food insecurity. Through this initiative, employees helped provide 400,979 meals to individuals and families in need—demonstrating how small acts of service can create a lasting difference.

To learn more about SPARK™ and other employee volunteering programs from MilliporeSigma, visit the company’s sustainability & social business innovation page.

CHARLOTTE, N.C., March 31, 2025 /3BL/ – Discovery Education offers a new collection of engaging, high-quality instructional materials for Financial Literacy Month, which is observed annually in April.

The financial literacy resources within Discovery Education Experience, the essential companion for engaged K-12 classrooms, include:

• Financial Literacy channel: This curated collection of resources empowers students to venture into the world of money management.
• Econ Essentials channel: Created with Futures Fundamentals, Econ Essentials introduces students to the basics of economics and financial principles through timely real-world connections and hands-on learning. This collection of standards-aligned instructional materials, which include videos, collaborative activities, and self-guided learning modules, are also available at no-cost here.
• Fix-It: Money: In this lesson, students in second grade practice using irregular past tense verbs and irregular plural nouns while learning about money.
• Making Money: Math Student Investigation: Students build their conceptual understanding of constant rate of change and slope through inquiry, discussion, and real-world application. In this student assignment, middle school students investigate how to graph proportional relationships and compare the slope of a line while comparing weekly earnings for different part-time jobs.
• Career Connect: Available to users of Discovery Education Experience, educators can invite a financial services professional to a virtual classroom visit through Career Connect. This new tool promotes student curiosity by connecting classroom learning to real-world applications and potential careers. Through Career Connect, educators request virtual classroom visits from industry professionals, selecting from an array of job types, industries, languages, and locations. Then, students meet directly with diverse industry professionals, such as Discover, U.S. Bank, and more.

In addition, for users of Mystery Science by Discovery Education, the How Money is Made mini-lesson inspires student curiosity.

Available at no cost, the new resources from Pathway to Financial Success in Schools with Discover include a documentary and classroom resources. Created for middle school students, the DE Docs: Money Mastery is an engaging and educationally rich 20-minute video that makes building financial literacy accessible and approachable. The complementary elementary classroom video resources cover important topics such as saving, balancing spending, how people get paid, and taxes in age-appropriate videos and classroom activities.

“Financial literacy is a building block of success. Financial Literacy Month is an opportunity to bring more awareness to the importance of financial literacy. We’re proud to always offer high-quality instructional materials that engage students in this important topic,” said Kyle Schutt, Senior Director of Instructional Design at Discovery Education.

For more information about Discovery Education’s award-winning digital resources and professional learning solutions, visit www.discoveryeducation.com, and stay connected with Discovery Education on social media through X, LinkedIn, Instagram, TikTok, and Facebook.

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About Discovery Education
Discovery Education is the worldwide edtech leader whose state-of-the-art, K-12, digital solutions support learning wherever it takes place. Through its award-winning multimedia content, instructional supports, innovative classroom tools, and corporate partnerships, Discovery Education helps educators deliver equitable learning experiences engaging all students and supporting higher academic achievement on a global scale. Discovery Education serves approximately 4.5 million educators and 45 million students worldwide, and its resources are accessed in over 100 countries and territories. Inspired by the global media company Warner Bros. Discovery, Inc. Discovery Education partners with districts, states, and trusted organizations to empower teachers with leading edtech solutions that support the success of all learners. Explore the future of education at www.discoveryeducation.com.

Contacts
Grace Maliska
Discovery Education
Email: gmaliska@dicoveryed.com

Joyce Tsoi, senior director of the Decarbonization Program at Cascale, recently presented at the virtual Komar Supply Chain Sustainability Forums in Vietnam and Cambodia. The event brought together Komar Brands’ Tier 1 and 2 suppliers and featured presentations from industry experts on supplier best practices and brainstorming sessions on environmental and product sustainability initiatives.

Tsoi kicked off her presentation by giving an overview of Cascale’s origins and its vision to convene stakeholders across the industry on a pre-competitive basis to develop a common approach to measuring sustainability. After an overview of Cascale’s growth in membership and evolution, Tsoi highlighted Cascale’s strategic pillars — Combat Climate Change and Support Decent Work for All — as critical to the organization’s renewed focus.

Decarbonization remains a critical focus for the industry. In Vietnam and Cambodia alone, we’ve seen only 27 companies committed to set science-based targets (SBTs), and out of those, 12 companies have validated targets from the apparel, footwear, and textile sector. From Higg FEM data insight, we need to continue to strive for significant actions in South East Asia. Without significant actions and progress, the economic, environmental, and social impacts will continue to escalate.

Tsoi shared Cascale’s efforts to combat climate change and accelerate industry-wide decarbonization through the new Industry Decarbonization Roadmap (IDR), developed in partnership with Apparel Impact Institute (Aii) and with the support of RESET Carbon. She noted how science-based targets (SBTs) and science-aligned targets (SATs) provided a focused first step for companies embarking on their decarbonization journey, complementing the broader IDR roadmap. IDR is a bold, industry-wide initiative to tackle supply chain emissions at scale, aiming to decarbonize global manufacturing from tier 1 finished production assembly, tier 2 material production to tier 3 raw material processing facilities.

Central to IDR, Tsoi highlighted the Manufacturer Climate Action Program (MCAP) framework and how Cascale works with manufacturers to commit and set SATs for validation, evaluate their climate risks, develop a decarbonization plan, and communicate progress with stakeholders. She detailed the program’s benefits, including peer-to-peer learning, best practice sharing in the industry, as well as technical advisory support, training, and guidance. She shared how capacity-building programs – such as MCAP – enable knowledge and skills to be scaled to support manufacturers step-by-step in their target-setting process to support developing their decarbonization plan.

In tandem, Tsoi emphasized the importance of leveraging tools such as the Higg Facility Environmental Module (FEM) in establishing a firm environmental foundation for effective action. With this accurate energy and carbon baseline measurement, companies can determine their focus on tangible energy and carbon reduction opportunities, develop an action plan to take necessary actions, and achieve meaningful progress. Delving deeper into the Higg FEM, Tsoi shared key insights on its adoption in facilities in Vietnam and Cambodia, which showed a significant growth, with more facilities recognizing the Higg FEM as a core tool for measuring environmental performance.

Lastly, she noted the critical value of responsible purchasing practices in moving the industry forward, highlighting Cascale’s recent purchase of key assets of Better Buying Institute (BBI) as a testament of its commitment to advance responsible purchasing practices across the consumer goods industry.

Tsoi concluded her presentation by inviting attendees to register for the Cascale Forum, which will take place May 14-15 in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam. The two-day event will bring together manufacturers, suppliers, brands, retailers, and key industry stakeholders to drive actionable solutions for decarbonization, environmental performance, responsible purchasing practices, and audit fatigue.

News Summary:

• This prestigious recognition underscores Cisco’s pioneering approach to payment solutions, sustainability initiatives and financial flexibility for businesses.
• Cisco Capital creates transformative financial solutions tailored to modern business needs.
• The recognition reaffirms Cisco’s role as a leader in flexible financing and a key enabler of digital transformation.

SAN JOSE, Calif., March 31, 2025 /3BL/ – Cisco Capital, a global leader in financial innovation and technology lifecycle solutions, has been named Best Company for Financial Innovation in Monitor Daily 2025, a prestigious recognition that underscores its pioneering approach to payment solutions, sustainability initiatives, and financial flexibility for businesses worldwide. 

“For nearly three decades, Cisco Capital has been redefining how businesses invest in technology,” said Scott Herren, Executive Vice President & Chief Financial Officer, Cisco. “This recognition by Monitor Daily is a testament to our relentless commitment to innovation, customer success, and enabling businesses to scale and thrive in a rapidly evolving digital world.” 

Driving Innovation and Empowering Businesses  

Cisco Capital has been at the forefront of financial product innovation, helping businesses access the latest Cisco technology with flexible financing models designed to optimize cash flow and drive growth. By anticipating industry challenges and crafting forward-thinking solutions, Cisco Capital continues to reshape financial strategies for organizations worldwide. 

“As the captive financing business within Cisco, our mission is to empower businesses with financial solutions that fuel growth, transformation, and sustainability,” said Nick Small, President, Cisco Capital. “Being recognized as Monitor Daily’s Best Company for 2025 validates our dedication to delivering cutting-edge, flexible, and sustainable payment solutions that meet the evolving needs of our customers and partners.” 

Innovative Solutions That Make a Difference  

Cisco Capital’s recognition is fueled by its ability to create transformative financial solutions tailored to modern business needs, including: 

• Cisco Choice Pay with AI Infrastructure – A hardware-as-a-subscription model providing businesses with cost-effective access to Cisco’s latest AI infrastructure. 
• Cisco Green Pay – A sustainability-driven payment program promoting circular IT practices and helping businesses achieve their ESG goals. 
• Cisco Lifecycle Pay with Trade-In Incentive – A program allowing customers to seamlessly upgrade technology with up to a 10% replacement incentive on legacy equipment. 
• HBCU 0% Financing – A dedicated initiative supporting Historically Black Colleges and Universities by providing 0% interest financing and deferred payment options for essential technology investments. 

Commitment to Sustainability and Financial Flexibility  

Beyond financial innovation, Cisco Capital is a pioneer in integrating sustainability into financing. Through Cisco Refresh, the company promotes the circular economy by offering fully warrantied, remanufactured Cisco technology—delivering cost-effective, eco-conscious alternatives to businesses. 

Additionally, Cisco Capital’s strategic Cisco Green Pay solution enables customers to support circularity and access innovative sustainable technology. In fact, Cisco Green Pay won “Best Impact Finance Solution” at the 2023 Sustainable Finance Awards Summit in Paris.

Shaping the Future of IT Financing  

As businesses navigate rapid technological change, Cisco Capital remains committed to aligning IT investments with business objectives through agile, customer-centric financial solutions. Being recognized as a Monitor Daily Best Company for 2025 reaffirms Cisco Capital’s role as a leader in flexible financing and a key enabler of digital transformation. 

About Cisco    

Cisco (NASDAQ: CSCO) is the worldwide technology leader that is revolutionizing the way organizations connect and protect in the AI era. For more than 40 years, Cisco has securely connected the world. With its industry leading AI-powered solutions and services, Cisco enables its customers, partners and communities to unlock innovation, enhance productivity and strengthen digital resilience.  With purpose at its core, Cisco remains committed to creating a more connected and inclusive future for all. Discover more on The Newsroom and follow us on X at @Cisco. 

Cisco and the Cisco logo are trademarks or registered trademarks of Cisco and/or its affiliates in the U.S. and other countries. A listing of Cisco’s trademarks can be found at http://www.cisco.com/go/trademarks. Third-party trademarks mentioned are the property of their respective owners. The use of the word ‘partner’ does not imply a partnership relationship between Cisco and any other company. 

About Cisco Capital 

Cisco Capital enables business outcomes for customers and partners through payment and lifecycle management solutions in more than 100 countries. We make the digital future accessible to everyone. For more information, please visit cisco.com/go/paymentsolutions. 

Media Contacts 
Will Stickney 
Public Relations 
+1 646-573-4532 
wstickne@cisco.com

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• Recipient organizations are working to close child care gap in Fulton, Hendricks, Martin, Monroe, and Putnam counties
• Recent study shows Indiana loses out on an estimated $4.22 billion annually for the state’s economy due to child care challenges
• Duke Energy Foundation has awarded $265,000 in grants to Indiana organizations since 2023

PLAINFIELD, Ind., March 31, 2025 /3BL/ – With child care becoming a key workforce issue, Duke Energy Foundation and the Indiana Economic Development Association Foundation (IEDAF) are collaborating to support efforts to tackle it.

The foundations are together awarding a total of $150,000 in grants to four organizations to fund projects focused on improving access to affordable child care in Indiana communities. State and local government entities, local and regional economic development agencies, and public and private nonprofit organizations were eligible to apply.

“We know that Indiana’s child care challenges are complex, and we hope these grants will help develop the solutions needed to support working parents and local economies,” said Erin Schneider, managing director of economic development at Duke Energy. “We’re looking forward to seeing how their work removes significant barriers for parents and caretakers to participate and advance in the workforce.”

In September 2024, the Indiana Chamber of Commerce released a report examining the impact of child care challenges on Indiana’s economy. The study found that Indiana loses out on an estimated $4.22 billion annually for the state’s economy, including a $1.17 billion annual loss in tax revenue, due to shortfalls in child care. According to the report, only 61% of children needing care statewide can be served through existing capacity.

“Access to quality, affordable child care is not just a family issue – it’s an economic imperative,” said Matt Kavgian, executive director of the Indiana Economic Development Association. “When parents can fully participate in the workforce, businesses thrive, communities grow, and Indiana becomes a more competitive place to live and work. Investing in child care solutions is investing in the strength and stability of our economy.”

2025 grant recipients

This new round of grants for the following four organizations, follows more than $100,000 in funding awarded through the foundations in 2024 to five organizations in Indiana also working to close the child care gap in new and innovative ways.

1. Fulton Economic Development Corporation (EDC). A $40,000 awardee, the Fulton EDC will collaborate with an alliance of the Fulton County Chamber of Commerce, Northern Indiana Community Foundation, Caston and Rochester school districts to develop an innovative, community-driven approach to assess child care needs in Fulton County. This group will develop a sustainable model, while enhancing access to quality child care services. By leveraging the expertise of a consultant, the group plans to formalize its Fulton County Early Learning Coalition, which includes early learning professionals, employers, parents and caregivers, government officials and funders.

2. Greencastle Putnam County Development Center (GPCDC). With its $40,000 grant, the GPCDC will engage large corporations, small businesses, and entrepreneurs to better understand how child care challenges influence their operations and employees’ decisions to live and work in the area. Through focus groups, stakeholder engagement, and consultant expertise, this initiative will identify innovative solutions – such as employer-supported child care models and facility repurposing – to enhance child care capacity, support economic development and strengthen the local labor force. A resulting “Child Care Expansion Plan” will provide a road map for sustainable improvements, ensuring Putnam County remains a competitive and desirable place for families and businesses.

3. Hendricks College Network. The Hendricks College Network – a nonprofit that provides access to and support for post-high school education, business training, and workforce development in Hendricks County and the surrounding region – plans to utilize its $30,000 grant to: expand access to higher quality care with weekend and evening programming; conduct a public education and engagement campaign to advocate for policies and innovative solutions that strengthen child care access for families and ease burden on providers; and increase the number of providers accepting Indiana Child Care Development Fund and On My Way Pre-K vouchers. The funding will also help the organization take a deep dive into data, research innovative practices, and advocate for policies that assist providers with increasing capacity, improving quality, and investing in new and unique solutions.

4. Regional Opportunity Initiatives (ROI). A nonprofit that works to advance economic and community prosperity in the 11 counties of the Indiana Uplands region – Brown, Crawford, Daviess, Dubois, Greene, Lawrence, Martin, Monroe, Orange, Owen and Washington – ROI plans to utilize its $40,000 grant to help fund comprehensive building expansion and feasibility assessments for three child care providers: Bloomington Center for Global Children, Bloomington’s Covenant Christian Early Learning Place and the Oak St. Village Project in Loogootee. These assessments, conducted by IFF, a Community Development Finance Institution (CDFI) working in collaboration with CDFI Friendly Bloomington, will analyze facility changes needed to maximize seat capacity and high-quality learning at each center, including space design, construction planning, and potential financing needs and opportunities.

Duke Energy Foundation

Duke Energy Foundation provides more than $30 million annually in philanthropic support to meet the needs of communities where Duke Energy customers live and work. The Foundation is funded by Duke Energy shareholders.

Indiana Economic Development Association Foundation

Supporting the economic development profession, the Indiana Economic Development Association Foundation provides scholarships and other support to tomorrow’s economic development leaders.
 

Duke Energy: Tina Noel
Phone: 800.559.3853
Email: tina.noel@duke-energy.com

IEDA: Matt Kavgian
Email: matt@ieda.org

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PHILADELPHIA, MARCH 31, 2025 /3BL/ – Tork, an Essity brand and the global leader in professional hygiene, today launched the Tork Coalition for Inclusive Hygiene whose mission is to explore how hygiene in public restrooms, often the busiest space in a facility, can be improved for the majority of users. Through the coalition, Tork continues its journey to understand the barriers people face in public restrooms and how to drive inclusive hygiene so everyone can have comfortable access to public restrooms​.

The coalition is comprised of a group of experts and advocates who are passionate about finding solutions to the hygiene barriers that people face in public restrooms. The founding members include:

• Dr. Steven Soifer, Co-Founder and Treasurer, American Restroom Association (ARA), and Adjunct Professor at Adelphi University.
• Dan Rocker, LCSW and President, International Paruresis Association (IPA), an organization dedicated to raising awareness and providing support for individuals who experience social anxiety related to urination, commonly known as “shy bladder syndrome.”
• Lee Moreau, Founder & Director of Other Tomorrows, an experience design and strategy consultancy, and Professor of Practice, Design at Northeastern University.

Together with Tork, the coalition will help raise awareness of the need to bring inclusive hygiene to public restrooms and develop resources that businesses and facilities can put into action in their restrooms. Tork has over 50 years of experience in the design and development of restroom products, recently receiving the world’s first Design for All certification for its dispenser development process.

“The Tork Coalition for Inclusive Hygiene is the beginning of a groundbreaking initiative aimed at addressing what is a pervasive public health risk impacting millions,” said Amy Bellcourt, VP of Communications for Essity. “Research* shows that 44% of people feel anxious about using public restrooms when leaving their homes, and often plan their days, travel and lives around ensuring they have access to proper hygiene in public restrooms. This limits their experiences and can result in them not returning to a restaurant or avoiding purchasing food and drinks at an event due to fear of not finding a restroom that meets their needs.”

Tork recently surveyed more than 6,000 individuals in five countries and found that 44% of all respondents plan their travel routes to ensure they have access to public restrooms; 38% avoid eating or drinking while they are away from home to limit their use of public restrooms; 26% avoid a social event because of concerns around access to public restrooms; and 1 in 6 people have left a job because of a poor restroom. This data sheds a light on the scale of the issue and its impact on businesses, their visitors, customers and employees.

“This isn’t just about convenience; it’s a challenge affecting our society, businesses and the economy,” Bellcourt continued. “While the Americans with Disabilities Act has been pivotal in addressing some of these issues, our research shows there’s still so much more to be done. That’s why Tork is bringing together an expert group of individuals to advance an issue that often gets overlooked because many feel uncomfortable talking about it.”

“The public restroom experience is fraught with difficulty for so many people because broader awareness of the inherent challenges people face in restrooms is so low, and only known by people who regularly experience them,” Dr. Steven Soifer added. “I’m honored to be part of the very coalition that is working to get people talking about public restrooms, and I’m excited to help educate people and provide them with the guidance they need to create more inclusive hygiene in their public restrooms.”

The Coalition for Inclusive Hygiene was born out of a Tork led roundtable discussion that took place in Washington, D.C. in the summer of 2024, where Tork – in partnership with the Global Handwashing Partnership – convened experts and leading voices representing public and private organizations to discuss the many barriers that impact how people experience public restrooms. The roundtable revealed how poor hygiene usability in public restrooms affects a surprising portion of the population and emphasized the need for greater awareness and education on the issue. To learn more about the key takeaways from the discussion, click here.

To learn more about Tork and its inclusive hygiene initiative, visit its website and Tork social media channels across LinkedIn, X and Facebook.

* Tork Insight Survey 2024, conducted in US, UK, Germany, France and Mexico among 6000 end-users and 900 businesses

About Tork

The Tork brand offers professional hygiene products and services to customers worldwide ranging from restaurants and healthcare facilities to offices, schools and industries. Our products include dispensers, paper towels, toilet tissues, soap, napkins and wipers, but also software solutions for data-driven cleaning. Through expertise in hygiene, functional design and sustainability, Tork has become a market leader that supports customers to think ahead so they’re always ready for business. Tork is a global brand of Essity and a committed partner to customers in more than 110 countries. To keep up with the latest Tork news and innovations, please visit www.Torkglobal.com/us/en.

About Essity

Essity is a global, leading hygiene and health company. Every day, our products, solutions and services are used by a billion people around the world. Our purpose is to break barriers to well-being for the benefit of consumers, patients, caregivers, customers and society. Sales are conducted in approximately 150 countries under the leading global brands TENA and Tork, and other strong brands such as Actimove, Cutimed, JOBST, Knix, Leukoplast, Libero, Libresse, Lotus, Modibodi, Nosotras, Saba, Tempo, TOM Organic and Zewa. In 2024, Essity had net sales of approximately SEK 146bn (EUR 13bn) and employed 36,000 people. The company’s headquarters is located in Stockholm, Sweden and Essity is listed on Nasdaq Stockholm. More information at essity.com.

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NEW YORK and MUMBAI, India, March 28, 2025 /3BL/ – Tata Consultancy Services (TCS) (BSE: 532540, NSE: TCS), a global leader in IT services, consulting, and business solutions, has been named the #1 Employer in the United States for 2025 by the Top Employer Institute, a global authority recognizing excellence in people practices. TCS was also certified as a Top Employer in North America and Canada.

In addition, TCS has also achieved a major milestone by earning its first-ever Enterprise-Wide Top Employer Certification, awarded to organizations that demonstrate consistently outstanding people practices across all key regions. This adds to TCS’ recognition as Global Top Employer for 2025.

The Top Employers certification is awarded to a select group of employers with exceptional employee offerings and an employee environment that promotes personal and professional development. TCS has been honored with this recognition in the US for the seventh consecutive year, evaluated six key HR domains, including People Strategy, Work Environment, Talent Acquisition, Learning, Diversity, Equity & Inclusion, and Well-being. This recognition highlights TCS’ industry-leading people practices and commitment to fostering a workplace that prioritizes employee well-being, continuous learning, diversity, and career growth across the United States and Canada.

David Plink, CEO, Top Employers Institute, said,“We’re in a time of rapid change, where technological, economic, and social factors are continually reshaping our world. These extraordinary times bring out the best in people and organizations. TCS has ranked first in the USA showing that the company consistently prioritizes the growth and wellbeing of its staff, meaning the organization is well-placed to benefit from these rapid societal changes as a people-first business. Congratulations to TCS USA for being listed as a Top Employer again this year.”

TCS’ North American workforce exceeds 46,000 associates across 32 locations, with major bases of operation in New York, NY; Edison, NJ; Cincinnati, OH; Santa Clara, CA; Phoenix, AZ; and Austin, TX. The company continues to invest heavily in its people through initiatives such as its learning and development programs. TCS associates in the US have completed 691,151 hours of learning, acquired 129,248 competencies, and earned 3,756 external certifications in FY25.

The organization places significant emphasis on employee satisfaction and development, offering opportunities through TCS Elevate, a merit-based talent framework that directly links learning to career progression. The company’s AI training initiatives further support the development of a future-ready workforce. Nearly 17,000 associates participated in US Talent Development training programs, including bootcamps, meetups, TTalks, and leadership business and cultural skills programs, building technical, domain, process, and leadership skills.

Amit Bajaj, President, North America, TCS, said, “We are grateful to our clients for this recognition. For more than 50 years, TCS has built a strong, people-first culture in North America, underpinned by continuous learning that attracts and retains top talent. By focusing on employee engagement, development, upskilling and inclusivity, we not only help our clients succeed, but we also provide opportunities for our people to grow and give back to the communities where they live and work.”

TCS’ commitment to skilling extends to the broader talent ecosystem. Through its flagship TCS Go Innovate Together (goIT^TM) program, TCS has inspired more than 70,000 students across the U.S. and Canada since 2013 to pursue STEM education. TCS Ignite My Future program has engaged more than 35,000 U.S. teachers and over 1.8 million students since 2017. During the first three quarters of the FY25 fiscal year, TCS’ STEM training programs resulted in more than 137,326 hours of high-impact skill building and computer science programming for students under the age of 18 in North America.

TCS’ leadership and contributions have been widely recognized in North America. The company was recently named to Fortune® Magazine’s World’s Most Admired Companies^TM list for the third consecutive year and surpassed $20 billion in brand value, becoming the second-largest global IT services company to achieve this milestone, according to Brand Finance’s 2025 IT Services Rankings. Other accolades include being named to Forbes’ America’s Best Employers by State 2024 list and being ranked as the sixth Most Inspiring Workplace in North America by Inspiring Workplaces in the same year Additionally, TCS received a 2024 Citizens Award for Best Corporate Steward – Large Business by the U.S. Chamber of Commerce Foundation as well as 25 Brandon Hall Awards for excellence in HR practices.

About Tata Consultancy Services (TCS)

Tata Consultancy Services (TCS) (BSE: 532540, NSE: TCS) is a digital transformation and technology partner of choice for industry-leading organizations worldwide. Since its inception in 1968, TCS has upheld the highest standards of innovation, engineering excellence and customer service.

Rooted in the heritage of the Tata Group, TCS is focused on creating long term value for its clients, its investors, its employees, and the community at large. With a highly skilled workforce of over 607,000 consultants in 55 countries and 180 service delivery centres across the world, the company has been recognized as a top employer in six continents. With the ability to rapidly apply and scale new technologies, the company has built long term partnerships with its clients – helping them emerge as perpetually adaptive enterprises. Many of these relationships have endured into decades and navigated every technology cycle, from mainframes in the 1970s to Artificial Intelligence today.

TCS sponsors 14 of the world’s most prestigious marathons and endurance events, including the TCS New York City Marathon, TCS London Marathon and TCS Sydney Marathon with a focus on promoting health, sustainability, and community empowerment.

TCS generated consolidated revenues of US $29 billion in the fiscal year ended March 31, 2024. For more information, visit www.tcs.com

Follow TCS on LinkedIn| Instagram | YouTube|

TCS media contacts:

Corporate Communications & India
Email: corporate.communications@tcs.com
Email: saxena.kritika@tcs.com | Phone: +91 22 6778 9999
Email: kimberly.solomon@tcs.com | Phone: +91 22 67789098

USA
Email: james.sciales@tcs.com | Phone: +1 917 981 7651

 

Key Points

• Operation Warm and Marathon Petroleum are marking five years of collaborating to provide coats and shoes to children in underserved communities.
• Company grants have funded more than 60 distribution events that reached 26,500 children within the company’s operational footprint.
• Employees contributed more than 1,000 volunteer hours to help stage these events.

Operation Warm Senior Partnership Manager Michael Andrews is very familiar with the demand in many underserved communities for the nonprofit’s services of providing new coats and shoes to children.

“I’ve watched children in underserved communities come to school in the winter wearing flip-flops,” Andrews said as he reflected on 2025 marking the fifth year of Operation Warm’s work with Marathon Petroleum Corporation (MPC) and its midstream segment, MPLX.

In alignment with the company’s focus on Thriving Communities, Community Investment funding and employee volunteers make it possible to meet the needs of children in communities throughout areas where MPC and MPLX operate, including areas in and around tribal lands across the U.S.

“We haven’t been with MPC for five years for no reason. It’s the employees. They really do care about this outreach,” said Andrews. “The emotional impact is powerful. It goes beyond money to a human connection when volunteers interact with the children. That’s the big picture here.”

“The emotional impact is powerful. It goes beyond money to a human connection when volunteers interact with the children. That’s the big picture here.”

Over the five years, the support of MPC and MPLX has benefited about 26,500 children through grants that funded more than 60 distribution events across nearly 20 tribes within the company’s operational footprint. These events resulted in more than 1,000 employee volunteer hours. The company often augments the coats and shoes by also providing school supplies, food and health resources such as flu shots.

“We were able to impact many children and see their personalities come to life through the colors and styles they selected,” said Marathon Pipe Line Operations Superintendent Ross Simons, one of numerous employee volunteers. “We sometimes take for granted the clothing and shoes we wear every day, but seeing the smiles and happiness that these new items brought to the children was very special.”

The most recent distribution events occurred at the end of 2024 when employee volunteers fit hundreds of schoolchildren for coats and shoes in communities near tribal lands in Oklahoma, Oregon, Arizona and Idaho.

“Our attendance and academic scores have increased dramatically the past few years. We attribute this improvement to many factors, including Operation Warm events,” Fort Hall (Idaho) Elementary School Principal Debbie Steele said. “When students don’t have to focus on meeting their basic needs, it opens the door for them to focus their efforts on learning and growing academically and socially.”

International Olympic Committee news

Nearly nine in ten residents of the greater Paris region aged 15 and older – 88 per cent – actively followed the Olympic Games Paris 2024, as a recent study undertaken by the Paris Region Institute shows. With the slogan “Games Wide Open”, the Paris 2024 organisers set out to open the Olympic and Paralympic Games to as many people as possible – local and international – through a diverse range of programmes and experiences.

From attending the Opening and Closing Ceremonies along the River Seine, witnessing the best of sport at Paris 2024’s iconic venues, to immersing themselves in fan engagement activities and meeting Olympic medallists at the Champions Park, the people of Paris and its surrounding region fully embraced their role as hosts. Eighty-four per cent of residents of the Paris region stayed in the French capital during all or part of the Olympic Games period, according to the study.

The Paris 2024 organisers also made sure that the entire French nation was involved in the Games. More than 180 “Club 2024” venues were established across the country, offering the public a chance to watch live broadcasts of competitions and ceremonies, take part in a wide range of sporting activities, and enjoy cultural events. The study also shows that 79 per cent of the French population living outside the greater Paris region followed the Games.

“For two weeks during the Games, Paris was at the centre of a vibrant celebration of athleticism and the Olympic values, with the unifying power of sport on full display. Spectators filled the streets, creating an electrifying atmosphere that extended beyond competition to embrace participation, inclusion and the very essence of the Olympic spirit,” said Marie Sallois, the IOC Director for Corporate and Sustainable Development.

“Through their engagement, hospitality and unwavering support, the residents of Ile de France helped make these Games truly unforgettable.”

Marie Sallois
IOC Director for Corporate and Sustainable Development

As a signature event of Paris 2024, the Marathon Pour Tous mass marathon marked a historic first. The event gave amateur runners the unprecedented opportunity to race the same marathon course, on the same day, as the Olympic athletes. On 10 August, nearly 40,000 runners took to the streets of Paris, following the same route as the elite athletes, passing some of the city’s most iconic landmarks, including the Louvre Pyramid, the Palace of Versailles, the Eiffel Tower, and the Grand Palais. Between May 2024 and September 2024, satisfaction with the organisation of the Games amongst Ile-de-France residents rose from 72 per cent to 84 per cent.

An independent survey conducted on behalf of the IOC demonstrated the unprecedented global appeal of the Games, with around five billion people – 84 per cent of the potential global audience – following the Olympic Games Paris 2024. Spectators around the world watched the breathtaking athletic performances set against the stunning backdrop of Paris’s most iconic landmarks.

The Olympic spirit gained traction in France long before the Opening Ceremony, inspiring a new generation through nationwide initiatives. Leading up to the Games, over eight editions of Olympic and Paralympic Week (OPW) engaged five million young people, promoting physical activity, inclusion and the core values of Olympism. As part of these efforts, a nationwide programme successfully integrated 30 minutes of daily physical exercise into primary school routines, promoting healthier lifestyles from an early age. Additionally, the 1,2,3, Swim! programme provided swimming lessons to French children, equipping them with essential water safety skills.