Tag: 3BL

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

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/wellsfargo

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 full contest rules for complete details, including eligibility and written essay and video essay requirements.

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.

PORTLAND, Ore., February 24, 2025 /3BL/ – The Global Electronics Council® (GEC) is proud to announce the completion and release of its updated EPEAT® criteria. This milestone completes a multi-year effort to advance sustainability across the lifecycle of electronic products. It cements EPEAT as the definitive global electronics ecolabel, helping thousands of purchasers significantly reduce costs while safeguarding human and environmental well-being.

The criteria—which spans a comprehensive range of material topics including Climate, Circularity, Chemicals and Responsible Supply Chains —are set to take effect November 1, 2025. Electronics brands and their customers will now have an improved market signal to credibly move sustainability forward in the electronics industry. This builds on years of tangible impacts. Since its 2006 inception EPEAT has contributed to diversions of over 341 million metric tons of CO2 equivalents,800 thousand gigawatt hours of energy savings, and $34 billion in lifetime product savings.

“With the completion of the updated EPEAT criteria, we are providing the most comprehensive approach yet to accelerate the international market for sustainable electronics,” said Bob Mitchell, CEO of GEC. “These criteria address critical environmental and social challenges, from emissions reduction to supply chain labor practices, empowering both the industry and purchasers to make informed, responsible choices that benefit all stakeholders.”

A Comprehensive Approach to Sustainable Electronics

The updated criteria represent a significant step forward in aligning the operations, supply chains and products of the global electronics sector with leading sustainability and ethical sourcing practices, including:

Climate: Contributes to reduced greenhouse gas emissions and cost savings through supply chain decarbonization, product energy efficiency and establishment of science-based targets.Circularity: Prioritizes sustainable use of resources by promoting recycled materials, repairability, and responsible end-of-life management​.Chemicals: Reduces hazardous substances in electronics and improves supply chain transparency​.Responsible Supply Chains: Strengthens labor & human rights protections, environmental management, and responsible mineral sourcing in international electronics supply chains.

These criteria, developed through a multi-stakeholder voluntary consensus process, align with international sustainability goals and support institutional purchasers in identifying electronics that meet the highest sustainability benchmarks.

“We are excited to have the possibility of purchasing electronics that meet these newly released criteria as soon as they can be listed on the EPEAT registry” said Paul Chamberland, McGill University’s Chief Information Officer. “As McGill seeks to track and manage some of the key environmental and social impacts through its supply chain, we are proud to have contributed to background work leading to these new criteria and appreciate the value of this framework to help us source more responsibly made electronics.”

For more information or media inquiries, please contact:

Erik Fessler 
Senior Manager, Global Communications 
+1 971-380-4088 
efessler@gec.org

This issue’s Top Story predicts that a welcome turning point is upon us – rather than a tipping point. Experts with the World Economic Forum (WEF) have come away from the annual meeting in Davos foretelling a rise in global financing for nature, which could clear the way to meet 2030 biodiversity targets.

The WEF meetings in Davos, Switzerland, are an annual gathering of influential figures from business, government, and the social sector. At this year’s WEF, climate change and other sustainability issues remained high on the agenda. One discussion panel highlighted the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework (GBF), which was adopted by 196 countries in December 2022. The Framework sets a goal of reversing the rate of biodiversity loss by 2030 through 23 near-term targets, and achieving four overarching goals by 2050.

The panel discussed changes the GBF could mean for sectors like manufacturing, agriculture, energy, tourism, mining, automotive, fishing, and ports management.

Following the Davos meetings, WEF experts interviewed for the Top Story offer hope for financing the ambitious targets of the GBF, with financial sector participation seen as key to achieving the 2030 targets. A major strategy to reach these targets is to remove existing harmful subsidies from the world’s capital flows. A substantial number of investors, lenders, bankers, and other financial actors would need to change how they operate to support this strategy. To date, 194 financial institutions have endorsed the “Finance for Biodiversity Pledge,” promising to align their business operations with nature-positive goals. Actions taken so far include new policies on deforestation from HSBC and Standard Chartered.

But financial institutions are unlikely to take more impactful action or change strategic course without good data to point the way. The EU’s Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive (CSRD) and the Task Force on Nature-related Financial Disclosures (TNFD) provide frameworks that institutions can rely on to advance the data collection and reporting needed to effectively measure nature-related risks. Indeed, the TNFD was designed to enable the achievement of the GBF’s policy goals while being consistent with reporting standards from the International Sustainability Standards Board (ISSB) and Global Reporting Institute (GRI). A current theme among reporting standards is alignment with the GBF to ensure that biodiversity-related disclosures advance the agreed targets and goals. The readiness of relevant data and disclosures is one factor in the expected turning point towards nature financing.

Another promising factor is the robust foundation of climate-related financial systems built by institutions over the past nine years. The WEF reports that since the Paris Agreement was adopted in 2015, the financial sector has been investing in teams and systems to handle sustainability issues, and they can now adapt those resources to address biodiversity. Laura Fisher, WEF, notes that “the financial systems that institutions have built for climate can be expanded to nature with relatively limited additional resources, making it an efficient and impactful transition.”

The G&A Institute team is firmly focused on biodiversity issues and topics, and we are tracking the realignment of global and domestic reporting frameworks and standards for corporations. We help clients respond to stakeholder requests for information on biodiversity impacts and adapt their business strategies for nature-positive impacts. For more information contact us at info@ga-institute.com.

Introducing “Staying the Course”
We’ve added a new feature focusing on “staying the course” and “good news” related to reporting standards, ESG investing, sustainability data, and climate action around the world.

This is just the introduction of G&A’s Sustainability Highlights newsletter this week. Click here to view the full issue.

Eastman

KINGSPORT, Tenn., February 25, 2025 /3BL/ – Eastman has received RecyClass Recyclability Approvals for its specialty PET resins and their equivalent Renew grades, containing recycled content.

Six specialty plastics were classified as fully compatible with the state-of-the-art recycling processes for PET bottles in Europe. This includes:

Cristal™ EN076Cristal™ OneCristal™ One ProCristal™ One IM812Cristal™ One ECristal™ One E Lux

Additionally, two of Eastman’s resins, Cristal™ EN067 and Cristal™ EN059 were recognized as limited compatible.

The approval follows independent testing conducted by PTI-Europe and Plastics Forming Enterprises (PFE), following an adapted version of the Recyclability Evaluation Protocol for PET bottles.

These specialty PET resins do not interfere with the established recycling processes, making them an ideal solution for nonbeverage packaging applications such as skin care jars, bottles, caps and color cosmetics. With their lower crystallization rates compared to standard PET, these high-performance resins offer durability, high transparency and luster in final products, including thick-wall hard and bottles.

The results highlight the ongoing efforts of the plastics industry to develop high-performance packaging solutions that align with state-of-the-art recycling infrastructures and contribute toward increasing plastics circularity.

About RecyClass

RecyClass is a non-profit, cross-industry initiative advancing recyclability, bringing transparency to the origin of plastic waste and establishing a harmonised approach toward recycled plastic calculation & traceability in Europe. RecyClass develops Recyclability Evaluation Protocols and scientific testing methods for innovative plastic packaging materials which serve as the base for the Design for Recycling Guidelines and the RecyClass Online Tool. RecyClass established Recyclability Certifications for plastic packaging, Recycling Process Certification and Recycled Plastics Traceability Certification for plastic products.

RecyClass – Plastic Future is Circular

Follow the latest news on RecyClass channels: LinkedIn | YouTube

Contact : elena.tanzarella@plasticsrecyclers.eu, www.recyclass.eu

About Eastman

Founded in 1920, Eastman is a global specialty materials company that produces a broad range of products found in items people use every day. With the purpose of enhancing the quality of life in a material way, Eastman works with customers to deliver innovative products and solutions while maintaining a commitment to safety and sustainability. The company’s innovation-driven growth model takes advantage of world-class technology platforms, deep customer engagement, and differentiated application development to grow its leading positions in attractive end markets such as transportation, building and construction, and consumables. As a globally inclusive and diverse company, Eastman employs approximately 14,000 people around the world and serves customers in more than 100 countries. The company had 2023 revenue of approximately $9.2 billion and is headquartered in Kingsport, Tennessee, USA. For more information, visit www.eastman.com.

To know more about Eastman’s circular solutions for cosmetics packaging, visit Circularity | Sustainability | Eastman 

Media contact

Jacob Teetzmann 
1-423-494-3673 
jteetzmann@tombras.com

Who says you need superpowers to protect the Earth? We’re proud to invest in the next generation of Earth heroes, like the students at Stevens Institute of Technology. 

Our mighty partnership has spanned over two decades providing more than $4.8 million in grants, including a recent $1.45 million from our PSEG Foundation to fuel their Workforce Development Program, the Stevens Center for Sustainability and critical pre-college and undergraduate initiatives.

Learn more about our incredible partnership on Energize!: https://energizepseg.com/2024/10/23/powering-up-the-next-generation-of-earth-heroes/#Stevens

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Abbott

When millions of Americans resumed paying their student loans in October 2023 after the more than three-year pandemic payment pause, they were given a year-long “on-ramp” period. During that time, missed payments didn’t impact borrowers’ credit. Now that the grace period has ended, penalties for missing payments have resumed.

This presents borrowers with a tough choice: They risk hurting their credit score – which can make it harder to obtain a loan in the future – if they don’t pay, and they may be forced to drain their savings or stop contributing to their 401(k) if they do.

At Abbott, we’ve always believed that borrowers shouldn’t have to mortgage their future to pay off their education. That’s why we created a brand-new program called Freedom 2 Save in 2018.

“While refreshing the company’s benefits, we heard from employees about their challenges saving for retirement because of their student loan debt,” said Diego Martinez, DVP, benefits and wellness, Abbott.

The design of Freedom 2 Save was so innovative that Abbott needed special permission from the IRS to even offer it.

“Helping our people build financial security is important to us, so we developed a program that gives people access to retirement savings in two different ways: contribute to your 401(k) and get the company match, or we will contribute for you while you pay down your student loans,” Martinez said.

Under Freedom 2 Save, employees who put at least 2% of their pay toward student loans receive a 5% company contribution to their 401(k). At a time when the national student debt $1.74 trillion and the average borrower has $38,000 in loans, programs like Freedom 2 Save can help employees manage their debt while planning for their future.

Helping Employees Live their Best Lives

Since the launch of the program, more than 3,400 Abbott employees have enrolled in Freedom 2 Save.

Some participants have paid down as much as $60,000 in debt in just a few years. Others have been able to afford a home, pay for their children’s education, and help their parents save for retirement thanks to Freedom 2 Save.

“Freedom 2 Save has given me more freedom to spend and save my money how I’d like,” said Kristine Ajpek, engineer, core diagnostics, Abbott. “I’m paying off my student debt so much faster than I expected that I’m actually considering going to graduate school.”

To date, Abbott has contributed more than $7.7 million to participants’ 401(k)s, contributing more than $2 million in 2023 alone. By 2030, we aim to contribute $10 million in matching contributions.

“Freedom 2 Save has been a difference-maker for us,” Martinez said. “Prospective employees who are job hunting see Freedom 2 Save as an alluring benefit, and current employees say it makes them feel that we care about them as people, not just workers.”

Making Saving for Retirement Available to Everyone

Thanks to a new federal law called the SECURE 2.0 Act, other companies are now eligible to offer this unique benefit to their employees, too.

To help company leaders implement Freedom 2 Save in their own organizations, we developed a free resource called the Freedom 2 Save blueprint. This downloadable tool provides data on why programs like these are important; highlights on the program’s impact; and shares considerations for developing, implementing, and measuring the success of a program of your own.

Learn more about the Freedom 2 Save program and blueprint.