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International Olympic Committee news

The Winter Youth Olympic Games (YOG) Lausanne 2020 marked a number of Olympic firsts, while captivating the audience with exceptional athletic performances. Now, five years later, the legacy of Lausanne 2020 continues to shape the host region, empowering young people, advancing sports development, promoting the Olympic values and reinforcing sustainable innovations.

The Winter YOG Lausanne 2020 brought together 1,784 athletes from 79 National Olympic Committees (NOCs) across eight venues in Switzerland and France. The event featured rising stars like Chinese freestyle skier Eileen Gu and Korean figure skater You Young who won gold at Lausanne 2020 before competing as elite athletes at the Olympic Winter Games Beijing 2022. Featuring 8 sports and 16 disciplines, the event drew 640,000 spectators and achieved full gender parity. Ski mountaineering, a sport with deep roots in French-speaking Switzerland, and women’s Nordic combined both made their Olympic debut, and ski mountaineering will be on the sports programme at the Olympic Winter Games Milano Cortina 2026. With 4,172 volunteers bringing the vision to life, Lausanne 2020 built a lasting legacy of community and youth empowerment, sustainable innovations and promoted the Olympic values.

Youth and community engagement at every step of the process

Guided by the IOC’s core motto for the YOG, “For the youth, by the youth, with the youth,” local youth engagement was central to Lausanne 2020. Nearly 150,000 students contributed to its success, from designing the mascot (Yodli) to composing the official song, “Start Now”.

Held alongside the YOG, the Lausanne en Jeux! Festival brought vibrant energy to Lausanne and competition venues from St Moritz to Les Tuffes. With the entire YOG Lausanne 2020 attracting 640,000 spectators, Lausanne en Jeux! brought together 200,000 people on Lausanne’s streets, and the festival offered the public over 250 workshops, exhibitions and activities. One of the highlights of the festival was the sports initiations, at which participants, including some 80,000 pupils, could try Olympic sports, sparking dreams of becoming future Olympians.

The success of Lausanne en Jeux! inspired Dakar en Jeux!, a cultural and sporting festival taking place annually in Senegal, as it prepares to host the Youth Olympic Games in 2026. The third edition of Dakar en Jeux! was held in November 2024. It aims to engage Senegalese youth and build excitement in the lead-up to the YOG Dakar 2026.

Lausanne 2020 inspired numerous initiatives, including Vaud Generations Champions, which supports young athletes transitioning to elite sport, while promoting the Olympic values among local young people.

Through the “1 Class – 1 Champion” programme offered by the Vaud Generations Champions, athletes partner with school classes in Vaud for a year, offering students opportunities to attend competitions and participate in sports activities. In the 2022-23 period alone, 1,905 schoolchildren took part in 47 meetings with these inspiring champions.

Promoting Olympic values through supporting athletes

The Lausanne 2020 Education Programme, developed with Athlete365, offered YOG athletes and their entourage interactive resources to support their career paths. The programme included performance and injury-prevention assessments, video content workshops, and engagement with younger athletes and International Sports Federations.

Mental health and training courses, created in collaboration with the University of Lausanne (UNIL), the EPFL and Lausanne University Hospital (CHUV), remain accessible via the CHUV website, extending the programme’s legacy.

Fostering sport across the country

Lausanne 2020 organisers aligned their venue planning with reforms of the IOC’s strategic roadmap, Olympic Agenda 2020, focusing on reducing construction-related emissions and ensuring new venues were built only with clear long-term use plans for the local community.

The YOG Village, known as the Vortex, was designed with this long-term vision in mind. After accommodating athletes during the Games, it was repurposed into student housing, and now provides accommodation for 1,200 students.

The Games also accelerated the redevelopment of the Vaudoise Arena, which hosted ice hockey, hockey 3×3 events as well as the Opening Ceremony. Today, it serves as the home of the Lausanne Hockey Club and a new short-track programme established after the YOG. The outdoor ice rink, Patinoire Yodli, was named after the Lausanne 2020 mascot, and it remains open and free to the public for ice skating practice. A recognised hub for international artistic and sporting events, the Vaudoise Arena is central to Lausanne’s bid to host the 2027 European Figure Skating Championships.

Hosting the YOG competitions allowed venues across Switzerland and France to undergo renovations, expand capacity, and gain invaluable experience in staging Olympic events. These facilities remain active, welcoming global athletes and visitors.

For instance, Les Diablerets, which hosted Alpine skiing events, trained athletes from over 30 national teams ahead of the 2022 Wengen World Cup and the Olympic Winter Games Beijing 2022. Leysin, the site for freestyle skiing and snowboarding, went on to host the Junior Freestyle Ski and Snowboard Championships in 2021.

Inspired by YOG venue upgrades, the Swiss Olympic Park Project was launched to establish training centres for both winter and summer athletes across the country.

The Games as a laboratory for sustainable innovation

The Winter YOG Lausanne 2020 embraced Olympic Agenda 2020 reforms, prioritising sustainability and aligning with the host region’s long-term goals. The Games pioneered the “decentralisation” approach, becoming the first bi-national YOG with events held in both Switzerland and the French Jura. This approach reduced the carbon footprint of the event by leveraging existing venues and local expertise, building community enthusiasm and venue ownership for long-term use. The decentralisation approach set a precedent for future Games editions, exemplified by the Olympic Winter Games Milano Cortina 2026, which will be spread across several regions of Italy.

Lausanne 2020 also set a precedent for sustainable practices, such as prioritising public transport for athletes, staff and spectators. Over 80% of athletes and NOC staff relied exclusively on public transport, significantly cutting emissions.

The Games also served as a testing ground for innovation. Notably, the cauldron, designed by ECAL industrial design students, used eco-responsible wooden pellet fuel – a first in Olympic history.

Lausanne celebrating five years of YOG legacy

Approximately 1,000 students from Vaud participated in a quiz on Olympism and Lausanne 2020’s legacy, which was organised as part of the fifth-anniversary celebrations. The winning class will enjoy a week of snow sports in Leysin, while classes placing second to fifth will have a regional snow sports day.

To mark the fifth anniversary of Lausanne 2020, a celebratory event will be held at the Vaudoise Arena during the Women’s National Cup Final-4 on 25 and 26 January. Activities will include sports initiation sessions in the Arena’s outdoor area and free access to the “Yodli Patinoire”.

LONDON, February 13, 2025 /3BL/ – That viral moment. That spike in engagement. That off-the-charts response rate. Video can make that happen. And Reel Impact Films is showing brands how — free of charge.

For a limited time, RIF is offering a complimentary motion-driven communications diagnostic for purpose-driven brands showing how positioning compelling, high-quality content can increase performance across key indicators of success. Visit reelimpactfilms.com or email info@reelimpactfilms.com to learn more. Mention 3BL to receive a complimentary review.

Motion content results in 1200% more views, 83% more shares, and 95% more retention.* Yet, many companies still rely on legacy print and digital media to disseminate their sustainability content.

Reel Impact Films, founded by multiple New York Times bestselling writer Thomas Kostigen and award-winning documentary film director Tim Neeves, produces short-form, branded content stories for commercial as well as internal and external communications distribution, tailoring content to specific platforms to heighten reaction and response.

“Having spent more than 20 years directing and producing documentaries and films for NGOs, brands, and for commercial production, the explosive growth of sustainability reporting has put the spotlight on both public and private companies to do more social issue storytelling. Our expertise can help brands more quickly overcome messaging challenges and boost engagement among stakeholders of all kinds—shareholders, customers, employees, and B2B partnerships,” Neeves said.

“We’ve identified a strong niche with branded shorts and an alternative distribution model that many companies and organizations aren’t aware of, nor take advantage of,” said Kostigen. “Short-form documentaries can catapult a brand’s success and ignite higher engagement. We can show them how.”

Short-form documentaries can succinctly elevate brand storytelling and promote core corporate values.

Whether it’s a publicly traded technology company turning from simple text to video its annual sustainability report, a fashion brand showcasing recycling efforts, or a financial services company promoting diversity, equity and inclusion, motion-driven content is critical to success in today’s media environment.

RIF’s powerful, proprietary offering is coupled with a unique data and analytics component that complements and promulgates marketing campaigns.

RIF also utilizes Artificial Intelligence to enhance production efficiencies, storytelling impact, and cost savings.

Kostigen further explained, “We use AI in the development process to create efficiencies and utilize our deft experience and subject matter knowledge during production to effect brand authenticity. It allows us to compress production schedules, saving time and money, and to leapfrog the learning challenge that many production companies face; we are deeply familiar with environmental, social, and governance issues.”

To be sure, no matter the process, engagement comes down to story.

“We specialize in putting human faces to stories, and the way in which we do that is unique—reverse engineering stories and weaving goals throughout the narrative. Our films are very much about actionable takeaways. They have a sense of purpose,” Neeves said.

Kostigen is the author of numerous bestselling books on social issues, most recently co-authoring with Academy Award-winning actor. Robert Downey, Jr. He is a former global ethics columnist for Dow Jones, and climate change columnist for USA Today and Discover magazine, as well as writing for film and television. Neeves is a veteran filmmaker whose credits include documentaries and branded content for Netflix, Nat Geo, ITV, NBC, and numerous directed distribution platforms. Both have spent much of their careers crafting stories from urban to off-the-grid locations and have a network of local production service and creative professions around the globe.

RIF concentrates on the European and North American markets, as well as the growing Saudi and MENA region, where it has multiple productions completed and in development. The company has offices in London and Los Angeles.

*per HubSpot

CONTACT:

www.reelimpactfilms.com 
info@reelimpactfilms.com

USA: +1 424.738.8845

or

UK: +44 1892 782660

Authored by Baker Tilly’s Cindy M. Bratel

Sustainability is not just changing how businesses operate, but redefining what business success means. This paradigm has shaped corporate landscapes as organizations recognize that their responsibilities extend beyond the bottom line. As consumers, employees and investors increasingly align themselves with purpose-driven organizations, environmental, social and governance (ESG) practices are becoming a competitive advantage for businesses attempting to balance profit and purpose.

The stakes have never been higher. Studies show that companies prioritizing sustainability outperform their peers, with research indicating that high-sustainability companies show higher long-term stock market performance. Modern enterprise resource planning (ERP) systems provide the technological backbone to track and measure sustainability initiatives and offer data-driven insights needed to convert ESG commitments to measurable outcomes. IFS Cloud is an example of an ERP technology that includes a sustainability management module that helps customers monitor, manage and report on their sustainability specific goals and commitments.

However, the path to meaningful integration of sustainability in ERP business processes can seem daunting. Organizational leaders often grapple with questions: How do we begin assessing current business processes? What processes need to change to embed sustainability? How do we measure ESG success? Embedding sustainability in an organization’s strategic initiatives and daily operations requires practical implementation steps. The comprehensive checklist below will provide an approach to answering these questions and implementing lasting change. It is important to set expectations that these steps typically require a multi-year effort, often taking corporations two to five years to fully execute and implement.

Set a foundation

Conduct a baseline assessment of current ESG and sustainability initiatives across all organizational departments and functions. Remember that initiatives such as community relationships, business ethics, employee development and work safety are examples of business practices that fall under the ESG umbrella. Define clear sustainability objectives aligned with long-term business strategy while addressing stakeholder expectations and industry-specific challenges.Create a dedicated budget for ESG initiatives with clear allocations across departments.Form a cross-functional committee with representatives from key business units.Develop key performance indicator (KPI) frameworks with environmental, social and governance metrics.

ERP system integration

Evaluate current ERP capabilities to identify opportunities for efficient tracking and reporting across different business touchpoints.Identify ESG and sustainability-related regulatory and voluntary reporting requirements. Determine which global regulation may apply to your organization.Configure ERP modules for ESG reporting and implement environmental management systems that track and report carbon emission, energy consumption and waste metrics.Set up data collection points and sustainability KPIs into dashboards.

Define clear goals, policies and a roadmap

Develop policies that address environmental stewardship, social impact and ethical governance.Define ESG goals that are measurable, achievable and relevant for clarity and accountability. Utilize leading frameworks such as the Sustainability Accounting Standards Board (SASB) to identify industry-specific material topics and metrics to incorporate.Ensure goals reflect the company’s mission and address the priorities of employees, customers and stakeholders.Develop a roadmap for implementation phases with clear milestones and success criteria.

Make progress on ESG goals

Develop initiatives across the entire value chain, for instance, source materials responsibly, prioritize suppliers with sustainable certifications and minimize environmental impact in logistics.Create a framework including feedback channels and impact assessments for all key groups – employees, communities, suppliers and customers – with clear metrics.Implement a robust ESG oversight structure with dedicated committees, regular review processes and clear accountability mechanisms.Develop clear guidelines for anti-corruption, data privacy and regulatory compliance to ensure transparency in decision-making.

Measuring, assessing and communicating impact

Implement robust systems that track ESG performance with all relevant metrics and indicators.Establish reporting frameworks and processes that provide transparent communication of progress and challenges.Create a communication strategy that effectively conveys ESG commitments, progress and impact.Define reporting frameworks that provide transparent, accurate and timely information about performance.

Integrating sustainability into business processes demands sophisticated technological solutions and advisory support. The alliance between Baker Tilly and IFS joins together industry best practices with class-leading applications, allowing businesses to scale into the next growth chapter efficiently and effectively with minimal disruption. Both Baker Tilly and IFS understand the importance of solving sustainability challenges and can help businesses with the support they need to achieve their measurable ESG goals.

Interested in learning more? Connect with a Baker Tilly specialist.

CLEVELAND – February 13, 2025 — KeyBank’s Key4Women will present “Part Two: Liar Liar Pants on Fire!” a free, one-hour virtual event on Wednesday, February 19th at 12:00 p.m. EST / 10 a.m. MT / 9:00 a.m. PST.

Part-two of the Deception Detective Series, this engaging deep dive session will help participants learn how to instantly spot when someone’s not truthful and how to put newly acquired skills to the test. This session will feature Fraud-Busting Body Language Expert, Keynote Speaker and Best-Selling Author, Traci Brown. Traci will reveal eye-opening, simple, and memorable techniques based on the science of Body Language and Forensic Linguistics that can be applied immediately to detect lies. These techniques will help attendees make better decisions, make the sale, negotiate deals, hire the right people, and keep their company off the front page for the wrong reasons.

In this webinar, participants will

Discover body language and verbal patterns that reveal deception and hidden emotions and know what people aren’t saying in person, on the phone, in texts and emails. 
 Learn how to put skills to the test and have the chance to work on solving high-profile cases. 
 Gain practical tips and strategies that can be applied in real-life scenarios, enhance confidence and effectiveness in interrogation situations.

“We could not be more excited for part two of this series,” said Rachael Sampson, Key4Women’s National Director and Head of KeyBank Community Bank. “Participants learned a lot in the first webinar with Traci, we are thrilled to bring her back and learn more.

Traci is ranked the #3 body language expert in the world for 2024. She is a past President of the National Speaker’s Association Colorado Chapter and the author of four books including her latest: How to Detect Lies, Fraud and Identity Theft. She is also the Executive Producer of a new TV series: Truth, Lies and Coverups.

For more information, contact key4women@keybank.com or register online by February 18th here.

About Key4Women 
Key4Women started in 2005 as a campaign to lend $1 billion to qualified women-owned businesses within three years. The program achieved that in two years and has now generated more than $12 billion in loans to women-owned businesses. Membership in Key4Women is free. In addition to helping women business leaders and owners tap into capital to build and grow their businesses, Key4Women members gain valuable access to a team of local Certified Key4Wome Advisors who advocate, connect and empower women on their journey to financial wellness. For more information, visit key.com/key4women.

About KeyBank
In 2025, KeyCorp celebrates its bicentennial, marking 200 years of service to clients and communities from Maine to Alaska. To learn more, visit KeyBank Heritage Center. Headquartered in Cleveland, Ohio, Key is one of the nation’s largest bank-based financial services companies, with assets of approximately $187 billion at December 31, 2024. Key provides deposit, lending, cash management, and investment services to individuals and businesses in 15 states under the name KeyBank National Association through a network of approximately 1,000 branches and approximately 1,200 ATMs. Key also provides a broad range of sophisticated corporate and investment banking products, such as merger and acquisition advice, public and private debt and equity, syndications and derivatives to middle market companies in selected industries throughout the United States under the KeyBanc Capital Markets trade name. For more information, visit https://www.key.com/. KeyBank Member FDIC.

Originally published on 3M News Center

3M is helping customers innovate faster and reduce design costs with the launch of its new 3M Digital Materials Hub, a groundbreaking platform that provides easy access to verified 3M material data cards, modeling data, and product specifications. This easy-to-use tool is helping customers in automotive, aerospace, consumer electronics, and more, accelerate commercialization, reduce development costs, and speed up the product design process.

The 3M Digital Materials Hub features a user-friendly interface that allows engineers to quickly gather and evaluate material data. As part of its initial launch, it can facilitate faster modeling and simulation of 3M tapes and adhesive solutions for various tailored applications. By enabling the comparison of multiple products side-by-side, including simulated models and technical specifications, the Hub empowers engineers to make informed decisions swiftly.

“We know the speed of innovation is accelerating across industries and understand the critical need for designers and engineers to access reliable data at speed,” said Adam Brodd, laboratory director for 3M’s Industrial Adhesives and Tapes Division. “The new 3M Digital Materials Hub is designed to meet this need, providing a one-stop solution that streamlines workflows and supports efficient, informed decision-making.”

Key platform features and benefits:

Faster to market: Designers and engineers can swiftly collect and assess material data to enable expedited modeling and simulation, beginning with 3M’s portfolio of tapes and adhesives.More efficient workflow: The platform empowers users to compare multiple solutions simultaneously, incorporating both simulated models and technical specifications.Ease of use: The Hub is user-friendly, enabling easy search, filter and download of material data cards compatible with many leading finite element analysis (FEA) software platforms.

Early feedback from customers highlights the platform’s ability to improve confidence in material selection, ease of data access and the potential for frequent use in material evaluation. Users also appreciate the ability to access data from anywhere, enhancing usability and efficiency.

“The 3M Digital Materials Hub is more than just a data repository; it is a practical, collaborative solution that connects engineers to 3M’s expertise,” said Jason Langfield, project lead and product owner for 3M Information Technology. “This solution helps product teams innovate faster, design with confidence, and reduce physical sample iterations.”

For more information and to register, visit DigitalMaterialsHub.3M.com.

Ports are more than shipping containers, cranes, and bustling waterfronts; they are hubs that support global development. At DP World, one of the world’s largest logistics companies, ports and terminals support the connectivity between local production and global markets. Through targeted investments in the Americas, DP World isn’t just modernizing logistics infrastructure; it’s driving social and environmental progress to support the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

In the latest Sustainable Development Impact Disclosure (SDID) report, DP World lays bare its bold commitments: fostering sustainable trade, reducing emissions, empowering communities, and bridging development gaps. And with projects ranging from electrifying cranes to achieving zero landfill status at port terminals, it is clear that DP World’s impact goes far beyond the terminal gates.

Building Resilient Infrastructure in Brazil
In Brazil, DP World is transforming Santos, South America’s busiest port, into a sustainability powerhouse. Partnering with logistics giant Rumo, DP World is developing a terminal designed to handle a staggering 12.5 million tons of grains and fertilizers annually. This isn’t just about throughput; it’s about revolutionizing Brazil’s agricultural logistics. By strengthening rail connectivity and expanding terminal capacity, DP World is addressing inefficiencies that have long hindered exports and imports.

But perhaps the most remarkable initiative is the zero landfill project, which has made the Santos terminal the first in Brazil to achieve this milestone. By converting 20% of waste into biofuel and repurposing the remaining 80% through recycling, composting, wastewater treatment, and oil refining, Santos is setting a new industry standard for waste management. These efforts align squarely with Goal 12 of the UN SDGs: responsible consumption and production.

The numbers speak for themselves: to date, DP World has invested $409 million in the port, created over 7,000 direct and indirect jobs, and reduced diesel consumption by 60% through equipment electrification projects.

Climate Action in the Dominican Republic
DP World’s dedication to sustainability isn’t confined to South America. In the Dominican Republic, the company has made significant strides in reducing emissions and enhancing logistics efficiency. The Caucedo terminal now boasts both cutting-edge electrified cranes and a fleet of 16 electric ITVs, which, along with plans for an electric charging station this year, replace older diesel models and slash carbon emissions. This aligns with DP World’s global decarbonization strategy, which includes a 42% reduction in Scope 1 and Scope 2 emissions by 2030.

Climate action isn’t just about technology — it is also about developing partnerships. DP World’s collaboration with local governments and environmental organizations has led to the restoration of nearby ecosystems, ensuring that port operations coexist sustainably with the Dominican Republic’s natural beauty. These efforts directly support Goal 13 (climate action).

Empowering Communities in Peru
In Peru, DP World’s investments are creating opportunities for local communities while enhancing trade capabilities.  The terminal in Callao has become a hub for agricultural exports, enabling Peruvian farmers to access international markets more efficiently. This is a lifeline for small-scale producers, aligning with Goal 8 (decent work and economic growth).

Beyond trade, DP World is fostering social development. DP World has invested in education initiatives, by implementing 27 digital classrooms in local schools and providing scholarships and training programs. Combined these have benefitted more than 13,000 students, empowering young Peruvians to enter the logistics and maritime industries. These programs are designed to close the skills gap, ensuring that local talent can thrive in an increasingly competitive global economy.

Sustainability as a Competitive Advantage
DP World’s efforts in the Americas demonstrate that sustainability is not just a moral imperative—it’s a competitive advantage. In Brazil, the company’s electrification and waste management initiatives have not only reduced environmental impact but also improved operational efficiency, lowering costs for customers.

Meanwhile, in the Dominican Republic and Peru, investments in renewable energy and community development are building long-term resilience. By aligning operations with the UN SDGs, DP World is proving that trade can be both sustainable and inclusive.

Why It Matters
DP World’s commitment to the UN SDGs is more than corporate social responsibility — it’s a blueprint for how businesses can drive meaningful change. Through targeted investments in the Americas, DP World is tackling global challenges like climate change, economic inequality, and access to education.

Want to learn more about how DP World is reshaping global trade while advancing the UN Sustainable Development Goals? Click here to download DP World’s SDID report and explore the data, stories, and strategies behind these transformative initiatives.

I had the privilege of attending the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, where leaders, innovators, and changemakers came together to address the pressing challenges of our time.

The conversations reaffirmed that creating a regenerative future requires a balanced approach: reducing our footprint on the planet, amplifying our handprint through impactful actions, and leading with a heartprint that inspires collaboration and purpose.

From thought-provoking engagements to building new relationships, it was clear that partnerships and collective action are critical to driving meaningful impact. A key theme throughout the week was balancing the increasing demand for AI and digitization, with efforts to enhance energy efficiency and transition to clean energy. At Cisco, sustainability is an important priority—from enabling a resilient supply chain to advancing AI-powered climate solutions and digital grid modernization that help industries decarbonize and scale with efficiency.

Grateful for the opportunity to listen, learn, and connect with others equally passionate about shaping a better tomorrow. Together, we can accelerate the progress needed to make environmental sustainability not just a goal, but a reality.

View original content here.

Western North Carolina-based organizations encouraged to apply for a $25,000 grant before Feb. 17Announcement builds on previous $2.2 million commitment for disaster relief, rebuilding and readiness

CHARLOTTE, N.C., February 13, 2025 /3BL/ – Duke Energy announced the launch of a new grant opportunity, offering $500,000 in funding to support organizations leading long-term recovery efforts in western North Carolina. Through Feb. 17, eligible organizations can apply for grants up to $25,000 from the Duke Energy Foundation.

“We understand the long-term challenges our communities in western North Carolina face as they continue to rebuild following Hurricane Helene,” said Kendal Bowman, Duke Energy North Carolina state president. “This new grant opportunity underscores our unwavering commitment to supporting a full recovery in the mountain region.”

The announcement builds on Duke Energy’s previous commitment of more than $2.2 million to support disaster relief, rebuilding and readiness efforts in North Carolina. Duke Energy President and incoming CEO Harry Sideris recently published an update on the company’s recovery efforts in the state’s mountain region, sharing his personal connection to Asheville and the importance of sustained support for communities affected by Helene. 

Organizations interested in applying for funding can find detailed information and application guidelines on Duke Energy’s website here. Western North Carolina-based nonprofit organizations supporting local and regional long-term recovery efforts may apply for up to $25,000. The application is available now, and applications will be accepted until Feb. 17, 2025, at 5 p.m.

Duke Energy Foundation

The 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.

Duke Energy

Duke Energy (NYSE: DUK), a Fortune 150 company headquartered in Charlotte, N.C., is one of America’s largest energy holding companies. The company’s electric utilities serve 8.4 million customers in North Carolina, South Carolina, Florida, Indiana, Ohio and Kentucky, and collectively own 54,800 megawatts of energy capacity. Its natural gas utilities serve 1.7 million customers in North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, Ohio and Kentucky.

Duke Energy is executing an ambitious clean energy transition, keeping reliability, affordability and accessibility at the forefront as the company works toward net-zero methane emissions from its natural gas business by 2030 and net-zero carbon emissions from electricity generation by 2050. The company is investing in major electric grid upgrades and cleaner generation, including expanded energy storage, renewables, natural gas and nuclear.

More information is available at duke-energy.com and the Duke Energy News Center. Follow Duke Energy on X, LinkedIn, Instagram and Facebook, and visit illumination for stories about the people and innovations powering our energy transition.

Contact: Garrett Poorman
X (Twitter): @DE_GarrettP
24-Hour: 800.559.3853

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LINCOLN, Nebraska, February 13, 2025 /3BL/ – The Arbor Day Foundation launched a new campaign aimed at transforming individual environmental commitments into collective impact. Through the initiative, people can pledge specific eco-friendly actions to improve the planet — big or small — and the Foundation will plant a tree in a forest in need to mark each commitment.

“Hope for our planet is bold. It’s time we put that hope in motion. This campaign is an opportunity for people around the world to come together in the name of a healthier future for our world,” said Dan Lambe, chief executive of the Arbor Day Foundation. “We all have a role to play in this effort, because together, small acts can add up to global good.”

Here’s how it works: Once participants log their commitment at arborday.org/planet-pledge, the Foundation will plant a tree in a recovering forest in their honor and provide participants tips on how to help the habit stick.

When considering an eco-friendly habit to adopt, there is no commitment too small. Here are 10 easy ways to make a Planet Pledge.

1. Carry a reusable water bottle or coffee cup. Opting for reusable containers over single use plastic can help reduce waste and pollution.

2. Bike, use public transportation, or carpool regularly. Choosing to bike instead of drive, even just once a day, can reduce an individual’s carbon emission by 67%. On average, carpooling or using public transit can reduce an individual’s carbon footprint by half.

3. Wash clothes in cold water. About 90% of the energy used by a washing machine goes toward heating the water. Switching to a cold-water wash could significantly lower energy use and help save homeowners money.

4. Mend clothing instead of discarding or donating. Repairing worn out clothing can help keep garments out of landfills, where 92 million tons of clothing waste ends up.

5. Bring reusable bags shopping. Using reusable bags can help cut down on litter both on land and in the ocean.

6. Take shorter showers to conserve water. Limiting your time in the shower can reduce your personal water use by about 45 gallons a week.

7. Volunteer at a community garden. Community gardens can help increase local access to fresh food and create urban green spaces that support local diversity.

8. Set up recurring donations to environmental causes. Just a few dollars can make a big impact in communities and ecosystems in need of support.

9. Compost food scraps and/or yard waste. Composting food scraps can reduce food waste, enrich the soil, and decrease greenhouse gas emissions.

10. Plant a tree. Trees play a critical role in creating healthier and more connected communities. They can clean the air, mitigate extreme heat, and reduce the impact of flooding.

About the Arbor Day Foundation 

The Arbor Day Foundation is a global nonprofit inspiring people to plant, nurture, and celebrate trees. They foster a growing community of more than 1 million leaders, innovators, planters, and supporters united by their bold belief that a more hopeful future can be shaped through the power of trees. For more than 50 years, they’ve answered critical need with action, planting more than half a billion trees alongside their partners. And this is only the beginning.

The Arbor Day Foundation is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit pursuing a future where all life flourishes through the power of trees. Learn more at arborday.org.

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February 4th marks USO Day, the anniversary of the founding of the United Service Organizations (USO), a congressionally chartered, private organization that has been steadfastly supporting United States service members and their families since 1941. The USO relies on the generosity of individuals and corporations to sustain its vital activities.

For the past 24 years, FedEx has been proud to work with the USO. Through in-kind shipping, FedEx enables the USO to extend comfort and support to those serving our country, even in the most remote areas of the world. Additionally, cash grants from FedEx aid USO programs, including USO Holidays Care Packages, program supplies, and holiday meals.

Over these two decades, FedEx employees have played an integral role in helping the USO deliver on its mission to strengthen the well-being of America’s military and their families. By leveraging efficiencies in process and advanced communications within their network of experts, FedEx enhances the USO’s capabilities. Furthermore, FedEx employees can volunteer to support the USO through kitting events. During these events, teams of FedEx volunteers pack kits containing everyday essentials or holiday cheer. These care package kits are not just practical gifts; they are symbols of gratitude and support that reach service members stationed in remote corners of the world, as well as domestic locations for those stationed stateside.

Happy Anniversary to the USO! Here’s to many more years of dedicated service and collaboration.

Click here to learn about FedEx Cares, our global community engagement program.