Originally published on Nutrition Insight.
By Venya Patel
The ripple effects of the US Agency for International Development’s (USAID) funding freeze on vulnerable communities worldwide have come into sharp focus. We catch up with the US-based humanitarian organization, Action Against Hunger, whose global staff and communities are facing an uncertain future.
Click here to continue reading on Nutrition Insight.
SECAUCUS, N.J., February 24, 2025 /3BL/ – Quest Diagnostics (NYSE: DGX), a leading provider of diagnostic information services, recently announced that it has been selected as one of the 2025 World’s Most Admired Companies™ by Fortune® magazine, the 11th consecutive year the company has been named to the elite list of globally respected companies.
The selection is based on nine key attributes related to corporate reputation, including quality of products and services, innovation, community responsibility, social responsibility, and talent management.
“Every day, the more than 55,000 colleagues of Quest Diagnostics bring our purpose to life: working together to create a healthier world, one life at a time,” said Jim Davis, Chairman, CEO and President. “Their commitment to living our purpose in service to our customers and patients is the reason we continue to be recognized among Fortune’s World’s Most Admired Companies.”
In addition to the overall ranking, Quest was number three in the “Health Care: Pharmacy and Other Services” industry category. Quest ranked in the top 1 or 2 spot of seven of nine criteria that comprise the industry category, including quality of management, long-term investment, product and service quality, social responsibility and people management.
Consulting firm Korn Ferry collaborated with Fortune to survey thousands of executives, directors and analysts who rated companies in their industry on nine criteria, analyzing a total of 650 companies. A company’s score must rank in the top half of its industry survey to be listed as a World’s Most Admired Company.
Find more information on the 2025 Fortune’s World’s Most Admired Companies here.
About Quest Diagnostics
Quest Diagnostics works across the healthcare ecosystem to create a healthier world, one life at a time. We provide diagnostic insights from the results of our laboratory testing to empower people, physicians and organizations to take action to improve health outcomes. Derived from one of the world’s largest databases of de-identifiable clinical lab results, Quest’s diagnostic insights reveal new avenues to identify and treat disease, inspire healthy behaviors and improve healthcare management. Quest Diagnostics annually serves one in three adult Americans and half the physicians and hospitals in the United States, and our more than 55,000 employees understand that, in the right hands and with the right context, our diagnostic insights can inspire actions that transform lives and create a healthier world. www.QuestDiagnostics.com.
SOURCE Quest Diagnostics
For further information: For further information: Jill Flanagan, Quest Diagnostics (Media): 973-520-2800 or mediacontact@QuestDiagnostics.com; Shawn Bevec, Quest Diagnostics (Investors): 973-520-2900
Did you know? VR training is 4X faster than classroom learning and reduces workplace injuries by 43%. Owens Corning is making this technology accessible to the insulation industry with our cutting-edge Virtual Reality Training courses.
Labor continues to be an issue across the industry, but are you doing EVERYTHING you can to combat the issue? Studies show employee retention rates improved up to 80% one year after VR training, compared to 20% just one week after traditional training2.
Learn how VR can transform the way your team works — improving retention, safety, and performance: https://www.owenscorning.com/en-us/insulation/residential/virtual-reality-training
At SLB, we are creating technologies to unlock access to energy for the benefit of all, working across our three engines of growth Core, Digital, and New Energy — to enable lower-carbon oil and gas production while scaling the renewable energy systems of tomorrow. The 2024 Sustainability Report highlights the progress SLB is making and demonstrates the company’s commitment to sustainability.
“These actions are not only the right thing for the planet, they are also positioning our business for lasting success,” says SLB Chief Executive Officer Olivier Le Peuch. “We have a broad portfolio that will benefit from investment across many energy sources, and we believe that our values are a differentiator for our customers, partners, and employees. Combined, we have built a solid foundation for growth across all time horizons, but there is more work to do, and we are fully committed to achieving our sustainability goals.”
Our sustainability strategy is focused on three priorities with the greatest potential impact for SLB, our stakeholders, and society: climate action, people, and nature. In 2024, we continued to advance our sustainability journey:
Lowering Scope 1 and 2 emissions
We’ve made substantial progress in reducing our Scope 1 and 2 emissions through transitioning to renewable and lower-carbon energy sources, reducing diesel reliance and implementing smart meters and energy efficiency in our facilities. We achieved our first interim target of reducing Scope 1 and 2 absolute emissions by 30% from our 2019 baseline.Decarbonizing our customer operations and our supply chain
In 2024, SLB’s Transition Technologies™ portfolio of upstream and midstream products and services continued to expand, helping customers reduce their greenhouse gas emissions. We strengthened our efforts to reduce Scope 3 emissions by enhancing sustainability practices throughout our supply chain. We reduced our Scope 3 emissions intensity by 18% from 2023 and helped customers avoid more than 950,000 metric tons of emissions.Scaling new energy systems
In 2024, we continued to make progress in scaling new energy systems with pioneering technologies to support global decarbonization goals. This year, we achieved significant progress across multiple areas, including advanced carbon capture solutions and more sustainable lithium production.Prioritizing health, safety and the environment (HSE)
We harnessed new digital technologies such as remote monitoring and AI-enabled alerts, along with global initiatives to ensure continuous improvement in HSE practices, strengthening our culture of safety, sustainability and wellbeing.Fostering an inclusive culture
By fostering an inclusive workplace culture along with promoting science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) education for women, and empowering future generations of innovators, we can create the foundation for an inclusive culture. In 2024, we achieved our milestone of women representing 25% of our global salaried workforce.Focusing on our communities and partnerships
SLB’s Sustainability Impact Awards have supported numerous high-impact projects globally to improve sustainability outcomes in our business and our local communities. Our 2024 investments included 18 climate action projects, eight nature projects furthering positive water stewardship, circularity, and biodiversity outcomes, as well as 20 community investments supporting STEM education, inclusion, and living conditions.Respecting human rights
We continued our focus on human rights, addressing key risks to workers in our supply chain and strengthening our ability to address potential or actual impacts. In 2024, over 50 of our facilities underwent human rights self-audits and more than 750 suppliers underwent human rights due diligence.Championing water stewardship
In 2024, our “measure, reduce, and replenish” framework for facilities and operations delivered benefits for both the environment and local communities. SLB’s reduction of 9% of freshwater consumption in facilities was driven by targeted initiatives such as process efficiencies, recycled water usage, and implementing closed-loop water systems.Circularity
Scaling our “5R” framework – reduce, reuse, refurbish, remanufacture, and recycle – across SLB has driven circular practices. In 2024, more than 200,000 metric tons of material were diverted from landfill.Governance and reporting
SLB’s sustainability reporting is guided by stakeholders and aligns with leading frameworks such as Sustainability Accounting Standards Board (SASB) Standards, Task Force on Climate-Related Financial Disclosure (TCFD) Recommendations, U.N. Sustainable Development Goals, U.N. Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights Reporting Framework, and Global Reporting Initiative (GRI).ESG performance
In 2024, SLB received external environmental, social and governance distinctions, including an AA rating from Morgan Stanley Capital International (MSCI), an A rating from CDP Supply Chain, and inclusion in the Dow Jones Best-in-Class World Index.
Learn more about SLB’s commitment to sustainability and view performance results in the 2024 Sustainability Report.
It’s another crossover episode and this week, Mandi McReynolds, along with co-hosts Steve, Andie, and Alyssa, discuss the latest findings from Workiva’s Executive Benchmark survey that explores the intersection of finance and sustainability amidst global political complexities. Highlighting the importance of integrated reporting, they address the impact of European legislation, ISSB standards, and U.S. state-level regulations. The conversation delves into the strategic value creation of sustainability reporting and offers practical advice for engaging with the C-suite.
Read the 2025 Executive Benchmark on Integrated Reporting.
Looking for more? Subscribe to the ESG Talk podcast on Apple, Spotify, and YouTube.
ESG Talk is brought to you by Workiva, the world’s only unified platform for financial reporting, ESG, audit, and risk. Learn more at workiva.com.
PHILADELPHIA, February 24, 2025 /3BL/ – Wells Fargo & Co. (“Wells Fargo”) is donating $5 million to HomeFree-USA to help families buy their first home, bringing the NeighborhoodLIFT® program back to Philadelphia. In collaboration with the City of Philadelphia, Affordable Housing Center of Pennsylvania (AHCOPA), and RiseUp Fund, the NeighborhoodLIFT program will offer up to $15,000 in homebuyer assistance to eligible participants and provide homebuyer education, financial coaching, and more to help put people on a pathway to homeownership.
The NeighborhoodLIFT program is redesigned to address more of the barriers to owning a home. Eligible homebuyers will have the option to use the funds for downpayment assistance, or toward paying down debt, lowering their interest rate and monthly payments, or towards closing costs. This effort is expected to help an estimated 260 eligible first-time homebuyers in Philadelphia.
“We need to keep giving people opportunities so they can rise,” said Philadelphia Mayor Cherelle L. Parker. “Thank you to Wells Fargo for helping Philadelphia in a very meaningful way so that our residents will be able to see more investment in their daily lives, and to give them a real opportunity to buy their own home.”
“Making homeownership more affordable will help hard-working people create generational wealth and strengthen Philadelphia neighborhoods,” said Darlene Goins, head of Philanthropy and Community Impact at Wells Fargo. “NeighborhoodLIFT has helped thousands of people across the purchase their first home and, alongside Mayor Parker and our nonprofit leaders, we look forward to helping more Philadelphia residents achieve the dream of homeownership.”
“HomeFree-USA is honored to be a part of this outstanding homebuying strategy. NeighborhoodLIFT provides the downpayment support, preparation and long-term post-closing guidance needed to ensure borrowers keep their homes for life,” said Marcia Griffin, founder and CEO of HomeFree-USA. “NeighborhoodLIFT aims to ‘lift’ more individuals and families into homeownership and our nonprofit partners in Philadelphia — AHCOPA and RiseUp Fund — will help homebuyers to make their journey home a success.”
About Wells Fargo
Wells Fargo & Company (NYSE: WFC) is a leading financial services company that has approximately $1.9 trillion in assets. We provide a diversified set of banking, investment and mortgage products and services, as well as consumer and commercial finance, through our four reportable operating segments: Consumer Banking and Lending, Commercial Banking, Corporate and Investment Banking, and Wealth & Investment Management. Wells Fargo ranked No. 34 on Fortune’s 2024 rankings of America’s largest corporations. In the communities we serve, the company focuses its social impact on building a sustainable, inclusive future for all by supporting housing affordability, small business growth, financial health, and a low-carbon economy. News, insights, and perspectives from Wells Fargo are also available at Wells Fargo Stories.
Additional information may be found at www.wellsfargo.com
Ranked 64th overall and 8th among utilities
Entergy is proud to be named to the JUST 100 list of America’s Most JUST Companies by JUST Capital and CNBC for the third time. Serving our customers across Louisiana, Texas, Mississippi, and Arkansas, Entergy was honored in 2023 and 2022 as well. This year, we ranked 64th overall and 8th among utilities.
Each year, JUST Capital and CNBC evaluate nearly 1,000 of the largest publicly traded U.S. companies. They highlight the top 100 that are doing the right thing for all their stakeholders ─ customers, employees, communities, owners, and the environment.
This honor is a testament to our company’s strong performance on key issues that matter most to Americans today, such as:
Paying fair, living wages;Supporting worker well-being, training, and work-life balance;Communicating openly;Strengthening communities;Showing ethical leadership; andTreating customers fairly.
“We’re honored to be recognized once again by JUST Capital and CNBC,” said Entergy Vice President, Sustainability and Environmental Policy John Weiss. “A foundation of our business is creating long-term value for everyone we serve, including the communities where we live and work.”
Entergy is committed to making a positive impact in the communities it serves. Through partnerships with community organizations such as non-profits and higher educational institutions, we support a range of initiatives to address poverty, promote education and jobs, help vulnerable customers, and care for the environment.
Entergy has been recognized by many prestigious organizations for its employee volunteering and community investment. This includes being named to The Civic 50 by Points of Light for nine years, a Top Utility in Economic Development for 17 years, and receiving the HIRE Vets Medallion Award for seven years. United Way of Southeast Louisiana ranked Entergy, whose headquarters are in New Orleans, as number one on its list of Top 10 Most Generous Workplaces in 2024 – the tenth straight year that Entergy has appeared on the list.
Learn more about our sustainability work at entergy.com/sustainability.
February 24, 2025 /3BL/ – Eighty-five third graders at Hudson Elementary School in Long Beach, CA, received a major surprise on Feb. 11, 2025, when they each were given a brand-new bicycle from AEG’s LA Kings.
The bike donation was done in collaboration with Blue Shield of California and the Bikes for Kids Foundation, a not-for-profit organization that empowers high-risk third grade children in poverty by asking the students to read Dream Big. Work Hard. Be Kind. Never Give Up!, and then write an essay about how the terms apply to themselves.
To support the bike giveaway, the LA Kings Ice Crew and staff volunteers assembled the bikes and alumni Daryl Evans, and mascot Bailey hosted a school assembly, where students were joyfully surprised to learn that every one of them would receive a bike. In addition, the students enjoyed a ball hockey activation supported by the LA Kings Hockey Development Team.
The event was part of the hockey franchises G.O.A.L.S. initiative, an umbrella program that encompasses all LA Kings and Blue Shield of California-sponsored character building and wellness activities.
“The G.O.A.L.S. program is all about equipping young people with the skills and tools they will need throughout their lives,” said Gabe Gilbard, Manager of Community Relations, LA Kings. “We’re not just promoting a healthy, active lifestyle with the bike donation, we’re also empowering these kids to dream big and believe in their own potential.”
Through their G.O.A.L.S. partnership, the LA Kings and Blue Shield of California demonstrated their commitment to community enrichment, youth empowerment, and the importance of dreaming big while working hard to achieve success. To learn more about the program, click here.
February 24, 2025 /3BL/ – This transaction is subject to the satisfaction of customary closing conditions and is expected to close in early Quarter 2 of 2025.
The mining sector globally is undergoing a significant transformation as it navigates the increasingly complex and evolving landscape of sustainability, which we define as the balance of economic, social and environmental factors. Key areas of focus by industry such as energy transition and critical mineral development requires expertise not only in mining, but also in the downstream ecosystem and across the resource, manufacturing and capital investment value chains. These highly nuanced challenges require a blend of advisory, technical and multi-regional understanding to provide integrated and tailored solutions.
SLR will have a unique role to play in supporting these global challenges.
By combining two of the world’s leading Global Mining Advisory teams from SLR and RPM Advisory, we have formed a best-in-class, global partner with proven mining expertise across all sustainability dimensions.
A driving force of rich scientific and advisory expertise, SLR’s global team consists of over 4,500 consultants with expertise in over 45 specialty areas, delivering client solutions across six continents, through offices located in more than 25 countries. The depth and scale of this expertise allows SLR to deliver tailored solutions at the country level while also leveraging insights and capabilities from around the world to ensure solutions are fit-for-purpose and capitalise on best practices and proven experience.
Bradley Andrews, SLR Chief Executive Officer, said “SLR is dedicated to enabling the flow of energy and critical metals & minerals in a sustainable way, by balancing economic, environmental and social risks and opportunities. This is reinforced by our strategic advice to our responsible investment clients to deploy the capital the mining industry requires to meet society’s needs. To have the Advisory business from RPM join SLR is an honour and significant enhancement to our market offering, as we further that aim. It was very clear from the early discussions, that the RPM Advisory business would be an excellent strategic fit for SLR, and more importantly there was a definitive cultural bridge based on common values, vision and the spirit of collaboration and client mission focus. We welcome the Advisory team with their broad international experience, deep technical and market knowledge, and their dedicated and passionate team to SLR. I want to thank the RPM Board and Executive team for their professionalism and values-led approach during this process as they looked for the right outcome for RPM’s shareholders as well as finding the right home for the Advisory team. I wish RPM well with their future strategy and welcome the Advisory team, partners and clients to SLR.”
Philippe Baudry, RPM Advisory Managing Director added “Finding the right home for the RPM Advisory business was always going to be about our people, culture and adding value to our clients. Throughout this process I have continued to be amazed by SLR’s deep cultural alignment with our own, combined with their focus on a clear vision of Making Sustainability Happen. The synergetic fit into SLR’s Global Advisory business and beyond into their established core technical teams for RPM Advisory is clear. It’s as if we were created to complement each other across geography and capability. I’m excited about what this opportunity will mean for our team and clients and look forward to introducing our clients to the vastly expanded SLR Mining Advisory business capability across every area of the mining value chain and beyond.”
By Mel Campbell | January 21, 2025
The names “Kendran Bowman,” “Sabrina Huynh,” “Ravin Morey” and “Jada Probst” may not be famous in conventional ways. But they are notable in that each will be continuing their education with additional help from Regions Bank and the Regions Riding Forward® Scholarship. Each was recently named as a winner of the prestigious award.
For each quarter of 2024, Regions selected four winners of the Regions Riding Forward® Scholarship Contest (note: fourth quarter 2024 winners will be announced later in 2025). As the winners of the third quarterly contest, each of these four students will receive a check in the amount of $8,000 made out to their designated accredited college.
In 2024, Regions revamped the scholarship contest to provide more opportunities for students to apply. The contest invites eligible high school and college students to submit a video essay or traditional written essay on someone they know in their community who has inspired them and helped them build the confidence to achieve their goals.
The 2024 Regions Riding Forward Scholarship Contest consists of four (4) separate quarterly contests.For each quarterly contest, eligible entries are grouped according to form of entry (written essay or video essay) and judged by a panel of independent, qualified judges.A total of four (4) quarterly contest scholarship prizes will be awarded in each quarterly contest, consisting of two (2) prizes for the written essay group and two (2) quarterly contest prizes for the video essay group.Regions promotes the scholarship contest throughout the year and students may submit an entry in each quarterly contest.
Third quarter winners and the individuals they highlighted in their award-winning submissions include (follow links to read/watch their submissions):
Kendran Bowman, Kaufman, Tex., who highlighted Erleigh Norville Wiley, a former prosecutor, district attorney and judge. The first female African American district attorney in the state of Texas, Wiley has been a mentor and an inspiration for Kaufman to pursue a career in law.Jada W. Probst, Charlotte, NC, who wrote of how her father, Patrick Probst, nurtured and inspired her love of coding. It’s a testimonial to the importance of encouragement and the role parents play in building confidence and pushing boundaries.Ravin N. Morey, Mineral, Ill., who honored her employer and friend, Tanya Moens. Moens gave Morey a job tending her yard when Morey had little work experience. That opportunity helped plant many seeds — including a love of gardening and horticulture and a future career path.Sabrina T. Huynh¸ New Orleans, La., who shared her appreciation of her high school debate coach, Kasi McCartney. McCartney’s support and guidance helped Huyhn build confidence, overcome difficulties communicating in English, and inspired her passion to become an advocate for those whose voices are not always heard.
To learn more about the Riding Forward Scholarship, visit www.regions.com/ridingforward.
See first and second quarter 2024 winners and their submissions.
See a list of previous years’ winners and their winning submissions on Doing More Today.
If you know of a young person – in college or headed that way – please share this information with them and with the guidance counselor at their school.
The Regions Riding Forward Scholarship contest has awarded over $1.4 million in educational assistance to more than 400 students over the past 12 years.
